The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-02-17
WEDNESDAY. FEBRUARY II. 1901 1901
a Noble Example.

Ma sneech moro noble, moro many,
~ n honest men moro inspiring. was
ever heard on the floors of Congress, than
that which was delivered IN me HOUSE
on Monday by Representative Johh y.
shafroth, Of Colorado, in voluntarily re-
1,nuuishing his seat. His seat had oeeh
4 contested by his Republican opponent on
the ground Of fraud, and Mr.. Shafroth
examined the evidence for himself, as II
appeared before Elections Committee no.
~. After having satisfied himself that the
charge Of fraud was sustained and that
he was not fairly entitled to the seat
MI. shafroth arose in his seat and in
part said:
son Thursday afternoon 1 commenced
examining the ballots, and continued az
ing so during Thursday, Friday and sat
#urday. do not believe that 2,792 illegal
votes were cast (that being my majority
as returned), yet my examination dis-
closed the fact that the assurance which
II had received as to the regularity OF
the votes in many of the precincts were
not true, and that there We're iilcgal votes
therein, which tainted the polls, and the
yolls 50 tainted gave me a greater plural
tty than my returned majority.
THAT fact was a bitter disappointment
Ia me, but nevertheless true The law Is
that when poll Is tainted by fraud and
It Is impossible tpSpurgc the poll OF the
fraudulent votes. the vote OF the ehtire
precinct, legal and iliegal, mus tn. no
thrown out. The committee has given
mo every opportunity to ascertain the
& illeEal vote, so as to save the valid vote
in those precincts. Until saw the pal
lots last Thursday 1. thought the Illegal
vote could be detected and separated
from the legal vote, but must CONFESS
that my inspection has convinced me
al that Il As impossible to do so In this
case,
# "The law being as i have stated, and
the number OF precincts tainted contain
Ing majorIies for me greater than my
returned majority, must say that II
were judge upon the bench considering
thiu case l would be compelled to find
Il against myself and as the vote IN the
contested precincts aggregates less than
orc.tcnth Of the vote In the congress
sional district I would be compelled to
find that according to law, Mr.. Bonynge
Is entitled to the seat.
II did my best to have an honest cleo
ton MY law partner with my approval
Organized a citizens committee, composed
OF both Republicans and Democrats, who
desIred fair election. The headquarters
OF that committee. as shown by the evil
6cnce In this case, was In the law ofttces
of Rogers, Shafroth & Gregg. Denver,
Col,
II have always been in favor of pure
politics and when the test Is applied to
an election at which was voted for as one
OF the candidates upon the ticket should
not shirk my duty or change my convlc-
tons CONCERNING honest elections
II therefore,: will say to the Committee
or Elections No.. 2, and to the members
OF this House. that they can seat Mr..
Bonynge at their earliest convenience"
We reproduce his remarks at length,
speech from Democrat who was born
In the South. and because We wish to
give 1t honor and preserve 1t as a record
Iii these columns. 1t is noble example
fol public official to set, and we hope
that 1t will have an everlasting influ-
cree upon American politics.
1T was notable stand for any man
to take, and yet 1t was the only stand
that an honest. high-minded man could
lake. Can an honest man receive stolen
goods? Can an honest man fraudulently
receive the property Of another? Suppose
he was not privy to the fraud, If he
knows that a fraud has been committed
: can he profit by 1t and retain his owr
sclf-rcspect? Can an honest man ST.
comfortably In seat In Congress wheI
he knows that he was elected and hi:
opponent defeated by fraudulent votes
or by fraudulent manipulation Of the bal
lots?
Mr. Shafroth could not. He satisfied
himself that the seat which he was oc
cupying and the salary which he wal
receiving belonged to another. and h,
lost no time in vncating and maxim.
restitution. Here Is the true remedy TO
dishonest elections II candidates TO
office would let It be known in advanc
that they would not accept Office tina
vas In any way tainted with fraud, dis
honest elections would soon become
thing OF the past,
Candidates should at least pledge them
ne!yes In advance that they will nc
aid and abet In any violation of tn
elections laws. and that is why we fave
The Green bill now pending in the Ger
cral Assembly, requiring candidates
take oath In advance that they will n.
violate the pure elections law The bi
should pass
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For the Normal School.