Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-11-01
WILL ATTEMPT
BULLDOZING.
Copy Of "Private and Confidential
Instructions to Democrats.
TOARREST VOTERS In SIXTH DISTRICT
A Bryan Worker Outraged and Dis.
gusted by Methods Proposed by
Democratic Chairman Huffman and
Exposes the Scheme.

Des Moines, Oct. 3O-(Special Cor
respondence)- democratic state
central committee has shown its hand
in a circular which has just been sent
out marked Private and Confidential
Instructions" This circular shows
that Chairman Huffman has reached
desperate straits in his efforts to cap
ture two of the congressional districts.
He proposes to have republican voters
arrested on the slightest pretext when
they present themselves to vote. he
is instructing his workers, especially
in the Second and Sixth districts, to
prevent, by bulldozing methods II pos
sible, republicans from voting and he
is endeavoring, by seditious state
ments to stir up bad blood in many 10
calities and invite riots at the polls.
This is startling innovation in
Iowa election methods. 1t is an at
tempt to bring into Iowa the schemes
which have been worked for years by
the democracy of the south and by
which they are able to send to con-
eress fifteen members with less ag-
g.egate vote than was cast for any
one of scores of members from the
north.
The First Time in Iowa.
This is the first time in the history
of Iowa politics, when the chairman OF
either of the great parties has dared
to instruct his workers to form "vlgl-
lance committees" to attempt to pre-
vent voters of the opposition party
from exercising their right of suffrage
on the pretext of preventing illegal
votes.
Is it any wonder that the voters OF
these districts are disposed to resent
such methods? The voters of Iowa
are honest and no attempts have ever
been made,nor have they been made
during this campaign to corrupt the bal
lot box or win the election by fraud.
Chairman Huffman knows very we'll
that. if any doubtful work is contem-
plated it is not by the republicans and
it comes with very poor grace from
HIM to attempt to inf1ame the passions
of any set of men by the insinuation
that it will be necessary for the demo
Gratis to arrest republican voters in
any precinct in Iowa.
The circular referred to was sent or
Saturday last to every democratic
worker in the Second and Sixth dis
tricts and the following is verbatim
copy of it,:
"Private and Confidential Instructions
Call private meeting of youl
workers the night before election and
ger each man to promise to get from
one to three doubtful voters to the
polls early in the morning.
Have one or more democrats at the
voting place to check off the demo
Gratis as they vote and send teams af
ter all those who have not voted b.
noon.
"Have your workers form them
selves into a vigilance committee ant
have every man who is not entitled t.
vote arrested when he presents him
self to vote.
See that you have your proportion
of the election judges and clerks, an
If they are not loyal democrats hav
them removed.
Have loyal democrat outside O
the election officers watch the count
ing of the vote and when 1t is counte
take the vote on each candidate on tn
ticket.
See that every democrat votes an
THAT IT is COUNTED, AND Also
SEE THAT NO ILLEGAL VOTES
ARE POLLED.
"The republicans will resort to tn
1896 methods if they are not watched
BE on the alert from the time the poll
open till the vote is counted and tn
ballot box locked.
! .'As soon as the vote is counted sen,
the result in your precinct to tn
county chairman who will send the re
suit of the county to us at once.
"Give all of election day to the gel
Ting out of the full democratic vote.