The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-11-18
HAS THE SCRATCHING HABIT
Independent Voter ia Oklahoma Is
Rampaut

Guthrie, o. r., Nov 17.-That en-
courager of the independent voter, the
Australian ballot. has turned Odahomans
into political scratchers. The extent Of
scratching does not show in totals and
only partly in results. The only way to
determine whether scratching is general
is TO be present personally and watch
the count of the ballots themselves as
the judges of election read them. And
reports from all sections of the territory
show that the election just passed was
pre-eminently a scratching election.
Several thousand of FIynn's majority
was a scratched one, that is Democrats
and Populists, more frequently, marked
Flynns name and then went back to
their party tickets.
However, eliminating congressional
matter from the question the cutting and
sashing on the county tickets and on
the legislative candidates was something
wonderful to behold.
Another feature Of the election which is
just coming to light is that there was. in
spite of the enormous vote cast. stin
quite stay-at-home contingent, who id
not materially affect the result In the
southern part Of Oklahoma Ne1 lost
many votes by Democrats remaining in
their cotton fields and refusing to go to
the polls. It also develops that in the
Strip Flynn lost many votes from Repub-
lican or Populist farmers who considered
him elected any way and having 10 other
interest in the ticket than TO see him
elected did not attend to the important
matter Of suffrage.
On the matter of the magnitude Of
scratching the Mulhan Enterprise gives
this Illustration: In our own individual
precinct-that OF Mulhau township and
city-do we have a correct conception Of
the amount of scratching Of the Repub-
lican ticket done. Nothing can be dis
guised by the ballot. Like murder It VIII
out The returns Of the vote in Mulhau
tell clearly how the vote was cast. Re
publicans took very careful poll Of the
precinct before election, and this poll
showed party vote Of over 159 Out OF
this 80 there were just u straight Re-
publican ballots cast. Further, out Of
these $50 Republicans a total Of nearly 81
remained away from che polls, enough
to have elected Chris Johnson treasurer
and half enough 10 have elected AR Ran
doiph county superintendent Taking
this same ratio Of straightforward pubf-
cans In MuIhau as q basis for the terri
tory and we readily see how changed the
result would he. we cannot Believe the
per cent was so great al over the coun-
~. but we are already in Doss- ssi9n 81
reports that indicate this TO be Vie ease
Ia Bismarck we are reliably informed.
ont ~ a total of q Republican voters IS
remained away from the polls ia yaw-
re, out Of a total Republican vote n =
over Is remained away and Ia spring
Creek where there are 81 Repuo3 ans
brave and true, @ came out ana voted
and scratched little. And So On ever
the whole country why. sc have
learned u enough Republicans who re-
NAMED away fram the polls O. aafe
elected nearly every Republican eanll-
date. Now. there IS 40 Spirit q COM
plant So ths IT stateuent ~ c5d
confr1uts Republicans tadav. Is easrs.
be lspzhes OIL
sres. many ballots were throwa cgt
az nudiate whica they
were. but un'utentioma1lr ~ tns v5
and Colonel Havens ~ Enid h week
protests against tae Austra,.aa 1snaE
system ln h paoer
The Hennsy CLIPPER gives an gas-
trati5n ~ hw eoua ~ she aaatz
spelled n aat cu anE Is
taat 10 matter hgw baH7f ueat
&c devised taer wua te m
81 votas & Q nemer m
occurred an rae election thl# usea