The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-04-07
Republican Congressman Regret
They Cannot Find Harsher
Language to Apply.
CHAPTER OF BUTLER CONTEST.
Committee Admits That if Fairly
Administered Honest Elections
Follow-Summar Its Chief
Elements of Weakness.
The Republic Bureau.
14th 81. and PENNSYLVANIA Ave

The Republic bureau
| 14th St and PENNSYLVANIA Ave
Washington, April 6-The report of the
Republican members Of the Elections Com
mittee in the Horton-Butler contest devotes
considerable space TO discussing the Nesbit
law. 1t compares it with the election law
OF 1895 which it repealed, and, commenting
on these. states:
1T is not to be denied that In some re-
spects the Nesbt law OF 1899 is a very eff
cient instrument; indeed. It seems to be so
verbose and elaborate as, at times, to be
confusing. Fairly administered, honest cleo
tions easily follow Its constitutional weak
ness lies in the fact that it furnishes the
temptation and the opportunity to such as
so desire to use It for fraud and corruption.
1t was SO used in this case.
Nesbit Law Summarized.
Its chief elements of weakness may be
summarized as follows:
y. The entire election machinery is In
the hands of three Election Commissioners
appointed by the Governor, of whom one
must be politically opposed to the Governor
The act OF the majority is the act of the
board.
-. The Election Commissioners must ap-
point a Deputy Election Commissioner, who
| is vested with ali The powers and duties of
| the Commissioners during their absence
| sickness or inability to perform their du
| ties
| With a complacent or corrupt majority
! the minority member might as we'll take a
| journey to the North Pole as to attempt to
take any efficient part in the management
of the election machinery.
! 3 Under the provisions of section 100
practically all of the city registration oc-
ours at the office of the Election Commits
sioners. a very small percentage Is con-
Quoted before the precinct registration
! boards.
THE wit of man has not yet devised
larger opportunity for fraudulent registra-
| tion than this.
Police Law Excoriated.
Another law passed in 1899 was the eff
| Client weapon which supplemented the cleo
! ton law In furtherance of the conspiracy to
| prostitute elections in the city of st. Louis
By that law the Police Board and police
force were reorganiZed in the interest of
the Democratic party and made an essential
part of the machinery by which elections
were TO be controlled. The police force was
greatly enlarged in number and their pay
| that their places depended upon loyalty to
the Democratic party and were required
to contribute to the partys campaign fund.
Chief of Police Campbell testifes. page III.
that the Police Department contributed
about $4,000 toward the payment of the ex-
penses Of the campaign for the benefit of
But the members of the police force con-
tributed more effectively TO Democratic sue
cess by other methods than the contribution
Of money, shall later on.
Two General Causes.
THE two fundamental facts in the plan
to carry the election In this congressional
district were:
81. The control of the registration and
election machinery: and,
'2. The control of a large force of police
men, without whose assistance fraudulent
registration and fraudulent voting might
not successfully be carried on.
Having these two essential bodies how
did the conspirators proceed to lay the
groundwork and carry out the scheme?
They proceeded upon a very simple and
with means at their command, a very easily
understood system.
Il. Put none buta faithful men or men
whe would not see eoo much on guard at
registration headquarters. Nearly all of the
registration, it will be remembered, was
carried on at the central office.
81 Register several thousand fictitious
persons at suitable addresses within the sew
lodging-houses, bawdy-houses, vacant
houses and in neighborhoods where, in con-
sequence OF the prevalence of floating pop
ulation, less suspicion would be aroused.
"3. Distribute slips containing names and
addresses of fraudulently registered names
into the hands of gangs of repeaters on
election day and send them from poll to
names CHANGED to be on the slips which
they had in their possession.
Doubtful Election Judges.
a. As far as possible see to it that in the
precincts where the repeating and fraudu-
clerks should officiate on behalf of the Re-
publicans who should be either Democrats
or Republicans of doubtful loyalty and COM
platsant or coTrupuble.
Have present at all such polling places
a formidable police force, who should obey
the orders Of the local party bosses or Of
the Democratic judges of election.
IS. If Republican challengers insisted
on remaining within the polling place. put
at the request of the judges. call the police |
and have them thrown out.
Incidentally and merely as guar !
antee OF good faith, do little promiscuous
but well-timed clubbing and shooting with !
out killing any one, so that 1t may be un- |
derstood that the police are in evidence !
Tor Tor fun. fun purpose 0' o''"s business ana not
TT is not evident from what actually oc-
CURED that the officers of election We're in !
any effective way charged to see that the
ballots actually cast were honestly counted. ,
Harsh Language Commended.
1T may be said of this Indictment that It |
charges harsh things in a harsh way. 1t |
II We could find harsher language in which |
to make the charge, we would use it.
In accordance with this general plan the |
work Of registering falsely, chiefly by fic- |
titious names, proceeded with great vigor. !
We cannot say how many such thus found ,
place on the registration books, but it IL /
reasonably certain that there We're not less |
than 10000 in the Twelfth Congressional |
District. How we know this will setisfac- ,
:orily appear when we come to discuss this .
feature more in detail We are not yet done
with the plans Of the conspirators Certain
developments compelled them to take sur
Elemental steps to carry out the original
plan.
Some of the registration was so prepos-
ferrous and SO palpably dishonest that it
was speedily discovered by the opposition
managers. Great difficulty was experienced
In obtaining the registration lists for some
or the precincts, but enough were examined
n m a
reasonable certainty, that a vast amount of
fraulllant reGistr Inn has