The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1900-01-11
a POWERFUL. INDICTMENT.

4 POWERFUL INDICTMENT.
If any man doubts the necessity for
the Peoples party, and for the reform
proposed by them in the holding of
caucnses and conventions. let him read
the following article, from the pen of
John Wanamaker, a prominent Repub-
lican:
J NEW YORK. Nov. 13.-The World will
publish tomorrow the following signed
statement from John Wanamaker, dated
Philadelphia, Nov. 10.
The recent revelations of corruption in
the conduct of elections in Philadelphia
ought to deeply impress thoughtful citizens
the entire country over with the urgent
necessity for ballot reforms. By ballot re-
forms l mean such legal enactments and
regulations as will, first make the ballot
absolutely secret, and therefore absolutely
free. and, second. such devices, whether
mechanical or otherwise, as will make a
true account and return of the votes legally
cast as near as may be an absolute GER
tainty. This, it seems to me- is the desid-
eratum OF modern politics in this country.
Political freedom and equality are
cured by constitutional and statutory en-
actments and the only thing needful is an
electoral system which will enable the free
men of the country to cast their votes
without intimidation or coercion. and to
nave their Will thus freely explained and
honestly recorded and returned.
In Philadelphia we have not had an hon
est election for many years, and the de-
bauchery of the ballot has acquired the
system and precision of a science with the
dominant sO-called Republican machine.
This has not been the growth of day or
year. but has been perfected by a steady,
systematic development of the most minute
details of original ingenuity. The machine
has now educated their followers in cleo
tiOns, rewarded them in fraudulent arts
and extolled and honored the leadership
which best knows how to devise and avail
itself of corrupt practices and protect and
promote it's debauched tolls and disciples.
or course, it would be impossible for the
dominant machine in this city to have SO
thoroughly subordinated the electoral sys-
tenn to it's dishonest uses had there been
a minority organization of even ordinary
honesty and competency. But there Is no
such minority organization in this city.
What is called Democratic organization is
but an agency of the corrupt Republican
machine. AS a result the Democratic vote
has shrunk more than two-thrids because
honest Democrats declined to follow the
leadership which treats the party organ
i1ation as an article of merchandise and
that has no principle or purpose in politics
other than it's own sOrdid gain.
All the machines are against ballot re-
form. for the machine cannot live and
thrive day If the people, the honest
masses whose hearts are right can ever
obtain an opportunity to express their con-
demnation freely and then have it hon
estly returned and recorded. Ballot re-
form. therefore. l place first on the list of
political needs of the hour and in Penn
sylvania it is the issue which overshadows
all others in it's deep Importance and far
reaching results.
in this state, because while we have re-
publican forms. We have no adequate meth
cd for their ultimate expression in secret,
free and pure manner, guarded and con-
served by devices competent to insure purity
and protect it from dishonest perversions
at the hands of corrupt political power.
There can be no doubt OF the truth of
the statement made by Mr.. Wanamaker.
We published, not long since, an article
showing that the elections in Philadel-
phia were often held in the houses of
ill-fame. and that the officers of the
elections were in many cases convicted
criminals.
We would ask the attention of those
of our friends who think it would be
good policy for us to unite with the
Democratic national organization to
read over again what Mr.. Wanamaker
says IN this statement. The Demo-
cratic organization, he tells us, is
simply IAN agency of the corrupt Re.
publican machine and that the Demo
cratic party of Philadelphia is IAN arti-
Gle of merchandise and has no principle
or purpose other than sordid gain"
Should we leave the high table land
of the Omaha platform and leap into
the embrace of this cess-pool? Victory
under such circumstances would be
simply a triumph of filth. Was the
Peoples party formed for such pur-
pose? Was it not created to redeem
and defend the nation? Would it not
be better to remain a minority forever
than to triumph by such methods and
under such allies? I. d.