The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-11-14
Not an Honest Election in Philadel.
phii for Years.
Minority, Part Of Repub-
lican Machine.
Debauchery Of Ballot Has Be-
come q Science.

New Yosk, November 1a.-Ths World
will publish tomorrow the following
signed Statements by John waDamakssi
:, philadelphia, November ia-Ths recent
revelations OF corruption In the conduct
of elections In Philadelphia osGht to
deeply imIress thoughtful citizens the en-
tire country over with the urgent nscsssi.
~ for ballot reform. BY ballot reform
mean such legal enaotments and regula-
lions us will, fret, make the ballot Abso-
Iutely secret, and therefore absolutely free
and, second, such devices, whesher me-
chanical or otherwise, as will maks = true
account and return Of the votes legally
cast as near IN may be an absolute GER
tainty. ThiA 1t seems to me, Is the
cesidsratum of modern politics In this
country. Political freedom and equality
are ssouresi by constitutional and statuS-
tory enantments and the only thing need
full IL an electoral system which will en-
able the freemsn OF the country 10 cast
their votes without iRtimidntion or
coercion and to have theis will thus freely
expressed, honestly recorded and re-
turned.
In Philadelphia We have not had an
honest election for many years and she
dsbaushsry of the ballot has acquired the
syste,n and preoi sion Of . science with the
dominant sooallsd Republicen machine.
Tale has net been the growth of day or
q year. but mas been pssfsoted by steady.
systsnatio development Of the most min
ute details Of original ingenuity. The
machine has eiucatsd Its followers In
elsetion crime rewarded them according
to their perfection In fraudulent arts and
extolled and henorsd the lsaderst Up
which best knew how to devise and avail
itsslf of corrupt practices and protect and
promote its debased tools and It's disciples
OF course it would have been impossible
for the dominant machine In this city to
have so thoroughly subordinated the cleo
tcral system to Its dishonest uses had
there been Q minority organization OF
even ordinary honesty and competency
Bot there IL no such minority organfza-
ton In this city. What is called the Dem
cratic organization IL hut an agent Of the
corrupt publican machine. As result.
The Democratic vute has sbrunk more
than two-thirds because honest Democrats
declined to follow the leadership which
treats the party organization as an article
Of merchandise and that has no principle
or purpose in politics other than its own
sordid gain.
All the machines are against ballot re-
form for the machine cannot live and
thrive u day II the people, the honest
masses, whose hearts are right, can ever
obtain an opportunity to express their
condemnation freely and have 1t honestly
returned and recorded. Ballot reform,
therefore place first on the list Of
political needs of the hour and In Penn
syiyania Ii Is the issue which ovarshadows
all others In Its deep importance and far
reaching effects.
The republican government does no.
exist In this state, because while We
have republican forms we have no ade-
quate method for their ultimate express
sion in secret. free and pure ballot
guarded and conserved by devices comps-
tent to insure its purity and protect II
from dishonest psrversion al the hands OF
corrupt POLITICAL power.