St. Paul daily globe., 1896-04-29
TO PROTECT THE BALLOT.

The measures which have been tax
en- to cause the removal from the bal
lot at the coming city election of the
names Of the Scannell crowd, and Of
the party designation which they have
stolen for their own despicable pur-
poses, will command the approval Of
all decent men without regard to par
ty. 1t is an action which tends to the
enforcement Of law, the protection of
the ballot, and the punishment Of those
who would pollute it and defraud the
people. 1t Is a movement not only in
favor Of clean politics and clean men
at this particular juncture, but one to
erect a safeguard against the reduction
of the suffrage by conspiracy and out
rage to a lower level than it had ever
reached prior to the adoption of the
system Of the Australian ballot. For
titled as it is by abstract right, by the
plain mandate Of the. law, and by q
mass of facts whose volume could be
increased indefinitely at pleasure sim
ply by collecting offered affidavits, we
cannot entertain a doubt of it's stand
ing in the court.
The state has assumed a large re-
sponsibility in the matter of guarding
the ballot from violence and fraud;
one which it must be prompt to recog-
nize and quick to discharge. 1t has
taken away most properly and in the
interest Of honest elections, the busi-
ness Of furnishing ballots from indi-
viduals and party committees, and as
sumed that duty as it's own. 1t must
therefore guarantee to the community
ballot freel from imperfection, error
or fraud. 1t has taken step further.
BY passing a law providing for the
holding of primary elections, and set
ting forth how they shall be con-
Quoted, it has made itself responsible
for Furnishing violations Of that law.
and for preventing their consequences
from effecting the official ballot. In
word, the attitude of the state toward
public elections, its prescribed scheme
for holding primaries and it's proyis-
ions of ballots for the voter, makes it
imperative that it should take care
that no improper names are inserted
In the ticket; and that illegal and
fraudulent primaries shall not entitle
those who hold them either to use an
honorable party name or to foist upon
the ballot the names of a cabal of dis
reputable conspirators. 1t is the con-
summation of this crime which the
court is now petitioned to prevent. by
purging the ballot. as prepared by the
city clerk, of the names and party
designations sought to be introduced
by the most extraordinary. lawless and
scoundrelly piece of political work ever
attempted in St Paul.
1t is necessary only to read the
story told by the documents which the
petitioners, men of high standing and
repute in this community, have sub
mitted to the court, to understand how
appalling in its impudent defiance Of
law, honesty and even the pretense of
decency is the performance of the men
whom Mr.. Scannen represents. From
beginning to end the movement that
resulted in placing in the field a tick
ct under the pretended name Of Demo
crat" was carefully plotted farce and
fraud. There is not sound spot in
it. The city committee was never
legally organized, there being only a
minority present. No primaries were
held as required by law. The evil
dence on this point is overwhelming.
There is perfect mountain of sworn
evidence to show that Scannell delib-
erately prevented the holding of such
primaries. He refused TO announce
the places for voting. He directed
men, whom he selected, to take the
election notices and throw them away,
having affidavits filed out to show
falsely. that they were posted. Then
DE made up the roll of convention to