The state herald., 1905-02-17
DEFIANT ATTITUDE OF BALLOT sHARPs

| eSpOsuTe WHlCh dre Ol bpeCidi lHteFcS
to all citizens of Colorado. One is tn,
persistence and energy employed b!
those who are exposing the frauds ant
sending the Denver ballot crooks t
Jail almost daily, and the other is tn,
defiant attitude of the Democrati,
leaders who directed and directly prof
tied by the frauds.
The fact that the new Republican
district attorney has. during his frs
month of Office, secured the trial ant
conviction of fourteen election crooks
In the Criminal Court. is an excellen
sign. 1t shows that Mt last the end o
| the long road OF ballot corruption II
Denver is in sight. 1t is the first tim,
in the history of the state that 81
many ballot crooks have been pursued
until they received lawful punish
ment. Those who hope for better
things politically are fully justified ir
rejoicing at the exposure and the con
victions which have followed 1t ant
which are yet to come.
A crime against the | ,ot Is Grim,
no matter which party commits II ant
should be cut out without delay re
gardlcss OF the pain. This is the atti
tude of the Denver people and of this
entire people of the state.
The fight between civic righteous
ness and civic rottenness is being
waged relentlessly and the people arc
winning in the struggle.
The fact that a few Insureent Re
publicans have Joined the Democratic
corruptionists in, attacking the gov
ernor and the party who have made
this fight, and made 1t win. is of little
moment No Republican with proper
motive can array himself on the side
of those who are defending election
crimes and doing their utmost TO cover
them up.
The Republicans who claim that
their conscience" drives them owe,
to the enemy's camp 10 assist him In
defending election crimes and making
them successful, has peculiar con
science. one that Is OF little service to
the public, And the public will not
be slow to ascribe other motives. In
the main the public will hit upon the
right motive for such open disloyalty
to the cause OF civic decency.
The other phase that has astonlshea
many is the utter lack OF remorse. the
brazen audaclty OF the men behind the
election crooks In Denver. They
boldly defend these criminals. They
fight every move made to get evidence
against them or to punish them. They
punish SO far as lies in their power
those who testify against the Big Miti
crooks. They carry on a most out
ragcously baretaeod conspiracy OF de
coptlon In their press. The distortion
OF the contest news by the principal
Democratic dailies Is one of The most
fragrant abuses OF the power Of the
press ever resorted to In this state.
A sample statement is in the Rocky
Mountain News OF Sunday last In
which II Is stated In bold headlines
that over five thousand alleged fraud
ulent votes are shown to be legal by
voters themselves. At that time
ii7 witnesses had testified on the Ao
ans side and no, 100 OF them had
Identified their ballots.
These are cold facts taken from tho
of,ielal printed story OF the proceed
lngs.
The suffers themselves. that is. tn,
small fry. are growing restless as they
are being sent up from day TO day, aut
many Of them have plead guilty to sc
euro lighter sentences. Among then
is the Infamous stIfrer. Detective Bill,
Green. who should long since have ha,
a berth In the penitcntiary. when thli
man was sentenced by the suprem'
Court the chief OF police and othe
leaders OF the Adams machine dii
their utmost TO secure his release oi
the ground that he was not guilt,
They approached prominent RepublI
can leaders and ofiicials To use thoi
influence with the court TO have hi
sentence suspended. Now he la
plead guilty In the Criminal cour
and been tentcnecd 10 three month
more.
One confession has alVady bee
made by a member OF a bailo,writin
gang from the Seventh ward-shoI
person, lie CAV. the whole thing ava
as TO how such large numbers OF ha
lots In the handwriting OF one ma
were found In the boxes. They wcr
written up the night before elecilo
from the registration lists and nun
bered. When the opportunity oncre
they were placed In the box aud IN
LEGAL ballots taken out In this cas-
Il was done after dark and the ilgh,
were blown out 80 as 10 make Il mot
secret, but the scheme was dlseoyerc
and the guilty sent To Jail by the Il
prcmc Court, shcppefson confosse
and plcnd guilty 10 mitigate his put
ishmrnt Ia IN. Criminal ronrt