Durango semi-weekly herald., 1902-11-17
ELECTION FRAUDS.

The Herald believes in pure and
uncorrupted ballot. The safety oil oui
institutions and the welfare oil our ma
tions depends on this. II ballot poN
stufiing and election irregularities pre-
vail throughout the country, ana are
nermitted to stand without rebuke,
then must our boasted liberty ana
standing as a nation take back seat.
AS stated the other day, we would not
have our best friend elected unlteu
States senator in Colorado at the eH-
nense of a dishonest ballot, and we
cannot see how an honorable man
wants to go to the senate through
deliberate fraud and ballot box stul-
6ng. That there was fraud IN COLO
RADIO at the recent election no one VIII
deny. That several thousand illegal
votes were cast in Arapahoe county
no one will deny who is not too partl-
san to see straight. And admitting
this, the same is undoubtedly true In
reference to Huerfano county and we
have no doubt but that fraud Is ram
pant in Conejos county, or II there are
no repeaters in the last named county
there is manipulation of AFFAIRS that
cannot be discounted in any section
of the world If fraud existed In
Huerfano county the eection should
he investigated and the facts ascer-
tanned. But it will be admitted that
Huerfano county frauds have mad no
effect on the general result. The
county is no doubt strongly Republl-
can. 1t has always been Republican
and will continue in the Republican
column. Therefore, If illegal votes
were cast week ago Tuesday, the
same should be thrown out and the
Republican party should attend to it.
That the vote in Pueblo and Ell Psao
counties was as straight as that ol
La Plata all unprejudiced people VIII
admit. Not Democrat OF either
county has charged fraud-only the
red ink papers of Denver. apparently
in order to cover up the corruption III
Arapahoe. That Denver would nave
given a Republican plurality with an
honest election is apparent to every
one Who in the world believes that
in one precinct there We're 900 Demo
Gratis casting straight tickets ana ON!
ten Republicans-545 ballots withCdt
a blemish on them in the way Oh
check. In the city of Denver lhere
are something like eighteen dlstIlc's'
sixteen of these gave RepuDlicah
nlurality while two districts, IN the
s,ums where two names were regis
tered from vacant lots, VINO pelieNes
ti,, ma inrIty Ot \ DUU Is
possible And still we have rom ra.-
terson. Lawyer Patterson, Editor fa'
terson and Senator Patterson tryihs
to convince the people OF Colorauo
that the Republicans are going 10 rop
the Democratic party OF the sIa'e VI
United States senator NO su'n
thing. There will be no roDper!' pu'
a. II is found that Arapahoe county
was carried by repeaters and thugs
having no right to vote. it Is ou,
riyht and lust that such precincts pe
thrown out and this is all that ls gums
IN he done. For years trauu mas
heen charged and substantiateu ou'
no action taken until at last the VI
tenders have grown bolder ana ooiue,
with the result that the ranRest hihu
of farces resulted last Tuesday In TWO
election districts where old men were
knocked down who desired to regis
ter and where Republican electioh
iudges were elected from the poilihs
booths in order to permit ballot Don
stutting. Right is right and harms III
ono We saw let there be an hohes
Investigation and if Republicans wer'
cheated of the election, then rish
should and must prevail. And as De
fore stated, we cannot uhae's'ai'
how a supposedly honest man want
to go to the senate through such rec