The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1904-06-02
OBSERVER
EXPOSES
], CLIQUE
TELLS OF THEIR METHODS AT THE
POLLS AND THE DESPERATE
I, METHODS THEY EMPLOY. 2
Democrats May Cast Illegal -yOt=s.. But;
Republicans Shall Not Vote Even Law
fully-Giyes the Herald Rub.

Editors of Telegram:
While your paper is engaged in ex-
posing the deceptive pleas of the
Democratic politician. and pointing ou.
tine insincerity of the crowd that il
running the Herald in the interest of
the Democratic party in Harrison county
! have come to the conclusion that it is
proper to give a few of my personal OBJ
servations Of the way they behave them
selves at the polls. happen to know a
tew things that show them up in bad
light.
Down in my ward was not only
amused but indignant over the way they
acted. The Democratic election officers
seemed to think they owned the cartn
ana that nolning went unless they said
80. They considered themselves in their
egotism the power behind the throne
and they wanted to dictate to the voters
as to whether they had right to vote
Men, and many Of them at that, were
questioned about their residence, not.
,withstanding the fact that they.had been.
voting there for years and were known
to be legal residents OF the ward. All
these -men-the- Democrats believed d-xers,
going to vote the Republican ticket, and
they knew no. Other course than to tis9
to frighten them out Of their right to
exercise tin American ,franpliisc., They
became SO obnoxious in this respast that
some men actually gave it up IN -disspst,
and left the polls with the remark that
if they couid not go-to the polls and
vote without being insulted by The
election officers they would not vote az
all. These Democratic election officers
thought that because of their position
they were clothed with tne authority to.
intimidate voters, E g.1E -u
Fully two thirds of the Republicans
who voted at that place were questioned
by these Democratic election officers.
The plan seemed to be 10 let none escape
them and their intimidation. Men who
are accustomed to vote without molesta-
tion or being questioned, were angry at
the manner in which they were treated
and they have not forgotten it either.
But they did not act that way with
Democrats. To the contrary they were
given all the ropes they needed. In one
ease wo men who 'hadrlivedahere but a
month were extended the; privilege Of
voting so far as the Democratic election
officers were concerned and notably a
certain barber But Others happened to
know that they had not been here long.
enough to- be entitled to vote and thus
prevented an Illegal vote or two TINT the
Democrats were, perfectly willing to let
90 in-the- -baflot hox.-Arother instance
remember was that n man came in
TO yotea Ono Democrat, questioned him,
not being posted but another said he
was all right, and they, decided that he
could vote, but when he said he wnnted
to vote the Republican ticket, they sud.
denly changed their minds. WhyY Not
that they were opposed to the casting of
Illegal votes, but because they did NOT
want Republicans TO vote. sa
+ On the face of all these things it i
very inconsistent on the part of the
Herald to support that crowd since it
has -howled so much about Illegal votes
and nnfair eiections,- -but-siaee it does
know these things and docs continue 10
work for that crowd, it Is palmer than
daylight that the Herald means only to
turn the county orer to the Democrats.
ii it car, and it does not care how il.
legal the means.
~ SC- -rr'gTC OBSERVER +
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