The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1905-02-11

- Il X !
put down just what returns we wish.
John Smith way have 500 votes in a
given precinct, but IL Smith is the
man we want to beat we knock off
two ciphers and credit him with S
votes. That is cheaper and quicker
than hiring 500 Indians to cast illegal
ballots .'r
When mention Of this wholesale rape
Of the ballot is made the question is
often asked: why doesn't some one
make use of the constitutional provision
permitting a ballot-box, to be opened
and a comparison of the ballots to be
made with the voting lists SO as to
ascertain II the ballots are recorded
as really cast by the electors?" Ring
sters are entrenched behind an i'm
pregnable fortress; they have secured
a supreme court decision declaring
that the ballot is too sacred to be in
spected: better. says the court in ef-
feet, better, rape the ballot, better MUIR
der self-government than destroy the
secrecy of the ballot by letting A. know
how B. voted. AS, the Public-Owner-
ship nominee for Mayor Of St. Louis
In 1897 the writer was convinced from
his own knowledge Of the election,
and from what was freely and frank
ly said by those who stole the election,
that he had received a majority of the
peoples votes, and so he instituted
contest proceedings in the Circuit
Court of st. Louis. Before the case
! could be heard, however, in similar
contest then pending the Supreme
Court handed down a. ruling to the
effect that the boxes could not be
opened and the ballots compared with
the lists, and so, of course, the mayor
oily contest was discontinued, thus
leaving st. Louis In charge Of officials
who were VIGOROUSLY not elected and
whom the people by an overwhelming
vote had declared should have no
part or parcel in the citys government.
Recalling how in the 1901 mayoralty
election sweeping victory had been
thus won with a few lead-pencils
manipulated by bold and INSCRIPTIONS
| election officials, the boodlers laughed
when Circuit-Attorney Folk announced
that, If the people wished, he would
continue his work from the Governors
! office. Why not laugh? Were there
not lots of pencils still in st. Louis?
And could not one pencil in the hands
of 'safe" man out-vote a thousand
fool reformers The "Prominent-
Citizen Ring knew this to be true, but
in it's eagerness to defeat the man
responsible for the conviction Of bood>
lers who had made it possible for
them, the "Prominent-Citize to be-
come rich and "prominent," the ring
foolishly decided not to rest content
with leaving matters to "the man in
side with the PENCIL; It went further
and stationed thugs outside the polling
places with orders to slug, kick, beat
and, If necessary, kill-anything to
defeat Folk. Neither age, health not
station in life was spared; some Of the
victims were men Of national reputa-
ton. For example, one was the Hon.
Norman J. Coleman, former Lieuten-
ant-Governor of Missouri and Sec
rotary of Agriculture in Mr.. Cleve-
lands Cabinet. Two others assaulted
while standing in line outside a
polling-place waiting to vote were the
sons of David r. Francis, President
Of the st. Louis Worlds Fair, former
Governor of Missouri and Secretary OF
the Interior in Mr.. Cleveland's second
administration. Another victim was
a venerable ex-judge, 81 years old:
Those, and scores of others, were
knocked down in broad dalight, some
were kicked and beaten, others were
dragged into alleys-why? Because
they were about to commit the crime
Of voting in a primary election fol
delegates pledged to nominate FOX for
Governor. The police stood idly by,
giving no protection whatever to the
citizens assaulted, and in some in
stances even taking part In the out
RACES; for the police department is a
part of the "Prouinent-C Citizen Ring.
There have been instances where for
weeks before an election members OF
the police department have gone about
locating vacant houses and assisting
in registering fictitious names from
such houses. One instance recalled by
the writer is that of small house at
1927 North Broadway, St. Louis
Ninety-five names were registered, and
subsequently voted, from that house
although it is physical impossibility
for one-fifth Of that many persons to
} reside there. 1876 names were registered
from the house at 800 South Spring
avenue. 1t is said that on CLARK
avenue the fraudulent names on the
|
Of real persons with a legal right tt
) vote From 1856 Forest Park, 10 name:
, are registered. Many similar instance:
, might be cited. These lists are Of
course frauds, but the names are voteG
) On election day and the citizen who
, protests Is beaten by the Indians
or arrested by the police. At on
, polling-place when the challenger,
- ~
: vent a gang of repeaters from votin!
2 so many times the police laughed
while. the Indian" at the head of tn
8 line Of repeaters stopped casting bal
: lots long enough to assault Mr.. Fores
4 ter and beat him SO severely as Il
e compel him to flee for his life. Mr.
e Forester is a reputable citizen, EN-
}, ployed now and for years past in .
e responsible position in the Fedora
: Custom-House in St. Louis, but he re