Rocky Ford enterprise., 1905-01-06
Denver.


The crisis In the probing Of the
Denver election frauds was reached
last week when the Democratic man
ayers, through their attorneys, sud.
denly changed from vigorous policy
OF opposition to the opening OF the
Denver ballot boxes to demand that
the Supreme Court open them all.
They had up to this time resisted
every step that had been taken to un.
cover the frauds. to punish the guilty
or to throw out the fraudulent pre-
cincts. This change OF tactics was
disastrous, az the Republicans who
had been doing their utmost to get the
Supreme Court to open the boxes
which came before It In the contempt
cases. promptly accepted the chai.
lense. The subsequent action Of the
Democratic leaders In trying to back
out OF an awkward situation disclosed
the insincerity OF their original inten-
tions In asking the court To open the
boxes.
Mr.. Patterson is held responsible for
this blunder by the other leaders and
he is roundly scored on all sides.
There can be but ono result from the
opening Of these boxes. and that re
suit was sure to add very much to the
disgust and pain Of the rank and hle.
Further. It was very likely to have
-, . N..to ,h. a,t,n,lIpe ~ anna Of
Mr.. Adams personal friends from the
upper ranks OF the leaders.
The point that caused the most Sc
rious criticism among tho Democratic
lawyers was the fact that In making
the demand on the court they rccog'
nixcd the courts Jurisdiction. which
they had vigorously denied and which
they sent Senator Teller TO Washing.
ton to disprove before the United
States Supreme Court. They cannot
consistently accept the courts juris.
dic;Ion and the same time deny II be-
fore the national Supreme Court.
Sentiment Of State.
The Overwhelming sentiment OF tho
state m reflected In Denver appears to
favor the Peabody side OF tho question
a, the present writing. The cxtraordi.
nary extent Of tho frauds In Dcnvcr
and In n few other counties has bc-
come well known. Al hrst II was bc-
iicvcd that the Republican estimate Of
tho number OF fraudulent ballots cast
In Denver was perhaps exaggerated.
bu, the further the Investigation pro
ecedcd the moro convincing became
tho evidence that the original estimate
Of from 1900 to 10000 was approx.
ma;ciy correct.
When the Republicans found that
they could not get the fictitious names
stricken from the registration lists. be-
fore tho election. they at oaec can
saascd tho wards with n view OF and
Ing GU, how many nourcsidcn's were
registered. After the election they &c
cured by a court order for the poll
books and copied them. and inmcdi'
a;ciy started a new canvas TO sec ho~
many OF tho bogus names wcro voted,
This canvas has been made hur.
rlcdiy and far from thoroughly. but II
has revealed enough fraud 10 shock
even the 'sayaEcs- themselves. In
addition to this the a,,orncws for the
local Republican organization have nc.
cumuiatcd an enormous mass OF evil
dcncc in the form OF af!idavits. Of wilt.
ncsscs TO the crimes. Of people who
were refused the right TO vote. and os
the rcpcatrrs and impcrsonaiors them
selves which when presented TO the
Legislature and the courts will be
equally as convincing as the opening
of the ballot boxes.
The opening Of the ballot boxes will
divuisc but a portion OF the frauds.
This method will show much OF tho re.
pca,inr. but no, all OF Il by any means
It will show u the returns have been
faisifcd. but IL cannot show the work
OF the ''impcTsouatcd" votes nor tho
number of Republicans who were dis
fraachised by being dropped from the
registration list. or kept from the polls
by the rough tactics and intimidation
Of the police machine. Neither will II
show the fraudulent scratching which
afidavits show was carried on TO a
great extent in some precincts.
Mr.. Fairiey's staseren.
IL will. however. be a basis. and q
good one. from which the extent OF the
frauds may be justly estimated.
The statement issued by Chairman
Farley OF the Republican state cen
trail committee last week regarding
the frauds was the first issued from
-. ,,-...--.... ..t a. f,,t. d.