The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1903-08-27
THE Hooking Republican,.
AN HONEST BALLOT.

The Republican party has al
ways been recognized as the cham
pion of free ballot and fair
count. Our national and state
platforms have time and again
rung out the true sentiments of the
party on this question, the most
important one in our republic and
upon which our very national life
depends. How often have we
heard words of condemnation ex-
pressed on the restricted ballot
in the South, and these words have
come alike from the statesmen
high in the party councils, and
from the masses who win the bat
ties. And no one mas been more
emphatic in the condemnation of
an outraged ballot than our dis
tinguished congressman. His
speeches in congress upon this
subject have caused the heart of
every true lover of liberty to
thrill.
This is the bright side of the
picture.
We now turn to a darker one.
Compare this attitude with the
methods used in certain parts of
Hooking county last Saturday and
the fact is apparent that some peo-
pie who call themselves Republi-
cans, are not living up to republi-
can principles, and that a speech
in congress and the tactics used to
retain a seat in that body are
widely at variance.
We refer to the elections held in
the Fourth Ward in Logan and in
Washington township.
Does the ex-committeeman of
Fourth Ward think that practi-
cal disfranchisement of a majority
of the Republican laborers of that
ward will help swell the Republi-
can vote this fall? Was it not his
duty as central committeeman to
arrange the election in his ward SO
as to Accommodate the voters in
that ward, if he desired to promote
the much talked of harmony ?
Captain Ryan made serious mis-
take in attempting to disfranchise
the laborlng men of his ward by
setting a time for the election
which made it ali but impossib,a
for them to attend. Another
thing. The call was illegal on its
face for it provides no time for
closing the polls, merely stating
that an election for committeeman
would be held at IL o'clock. This
would give ample opportunity to
close the polls at any time, when
it was advantageous to do SO.
How different was this methoid
from the one pursued in the other
three wards where the opposing
candidates together arranged the
time, place, manner, judge and
clerks of the election. And is
there any doubt that had such a
course been pursued in the Fourth
Ward, that Captain Ryan would
have come out second best?
In Washington township it ap'
pears that the Georgian way OF
counting out was used. Mr.. Soud
ers left his duties at the Asylum
and made his old friends ant
neighbors visit, in the interest
of the people who are anxious thai
harmony shall prevail in our ranks
He appointed one of his relatives
as judge and man of doubtful
political affiliations clerk of the
election. After closing the pollI
(Which had been opened earlier
and closed later than the ad
vertised time in order to accommo
date some of his friends) he clear
ed the space behind the railing
and proceeded to count the votes
reading them himself, and this il
face of the fact that he was Meth
er clerk or judge of the election
The result, as he informed tn,
spectators, was 35 to 26 in favor
of his candidate. This was a sur
prise to Mr.. Thrush, the people 4
candidate, who demanded to SEE
the ballots, privilege to which
he was entitled, but which was
fatty denied him. The gentleman
from Athens calmly put the ballots
and other documents in his pock