The St. Louis Republic., 1904-09-26
Reports by jefferson Club Ward
Committeeman Indicate Full
Registration.
REPUBLICANS NOT ON BOOKS.
Precinct Workers Fail To Bring
Out Their VOte-Small
Basis for Fraud
Charges.

Democratic leaders in ST Louis are feel
Ing more than jubilart over the return:
from the registration. Reports received a,
meeting OF the jefferson Club ward
committeeman Saturday night were Of a
nature to make every one present feel
that. unless something occurs to bring
discord into camp. St Louis will go DEM
ocratic November by a sweeping ma
jority.
And from a perfectly natural cause.
outside of the strength of the State
ticket. the organization realized that the
election results depended upon effective
work in registration. For the time being
everything was dropped to secure a COM
ple:e Democratic registration. The make
UP Of the city ticket was not allowed to
interfere with this work for the time be-
ing
Results were obtained. There are few
Democrats who are not registered. The
ward committeeman reported that the pre-
cinct men had done their work well. Not
only had the precinct canvasses been
made in excellent shape. bu, on registra-
zion days the workers had gone out and
brough. the Democratic voters TO the
polls for registration. In some precincts
no man known by the canvass TO BE- a
Democrat missed registration.
Right here was where the Republicans
fell down. They made a canvass of the
wards much in the same manner as the
Democrats. though 1t was necessarily
more incomplete. because their precinct
men We're generally green men. In some
precincts the Republican workers took the
money from the organization and failed
10 do their work at all.
Almost nothing was done IN some o.
the wards by the Republicans TO bring
their votes TO the polls. Excepting where
committeeman put UP additional expense
money TO bring out the vote. a in suct,
Twenty-eighth. the Republican registra-
tion was light. surprisingly so. consider
Ing the alleged efficiency of the present
Republican State organization.
ONLY TWO-THIRDS.
According TO the reports OF the Jefferson
Club ward committeeman. only about two
thirds of the Republican vote was reyis-
tered This means handicap tina, can
not be- overesfirnated. The practical, work
ers among the Republicans understanr,
the situation. and are consequently dis
couragcd. The Democratic leaders feel
nothing but satisfaction over the failure
OF the Republicans TO register.
To this fact may be attributed the
activity of the Republican State organiza-
tion In getting up mass meeting to pro-
frauds at the registration. Realizing thar
they will lose the city because OF th, in
efficiency OF the practical work that
should , have been cone here in st. Louis.
bility in the best possible way-by 'hoiler-
ing"
Republican incompetency is to he hidden
by self-righteous paint Much was made
in the local party organs about a clerk
named Roeder. in the Fifth Ward. who
went to the Board OF Election Commits
Ct. - Hne
the canvass.
Secretary John Ellspermann said that
ne p would send a policeman with him
Rsnx nos os you sS VI. sS se1d
Ellspermann. And still Roeder would not
CO. Only one conclusion can be drawn
from such actions. Siiilar experiences
have characterized former campaigns in
this city.
Perhaps some padding was done in the
Third. Fourth and Fifth wards. In no
case have the clerks OF election received
other than fair treatment in their can
vases Wherever Republicans have pro-
tested that they did not want to canvass
in these downtown precincts. protection
has been offered them II the padding is
not not removed as result of the can
vass. il will be the fault OF both clerks.
An explanation Of the disregard of the
law IN these S Maf h M,l l1uha sybIs IN 'he fact
House Of Delegates in this part of town
next spring. II is very seldom that the
river ward workers fail TO 90 their work
at the right time. anl they realize that
unless they get names on the books this
fall they may not have time TO do so
next spring. Likewise. the election of a
Senator to succeed William J. Schoen-
laub is involved.
PREFER TO PROTEST.
Many of the Republican leaders were
asked Why they did not 80 to the courts
whenever they thought that they were
being defrauded.
I'VE would rather spend the money on =
meeting and protest" said one OF them
Yc; the new election law Is framed so
that the courts have jurisdiction over its
SyeyS phass. II 0ae-aaf Ct Tie enercics