The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-10-07
JUDGE STILES IS DECLARED
 THE NOMINEE FOR SHERIFF
VOTERS ADDRESSED BY
 DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE

The following address to the democratic voters of Jefferson county was adopted by the county democratic executive com- mittee yesterday:
 To the Democrats of Jefferson County:
 On the face of the returns, the demo- cratic executive committee declared E. L. Higdon the nominee for sheriff by a majority of three votes.
 Judge J. P. Stiles, his opponent, with in the time provided by law, instituted contest, alleging that E. L. Higdon received illegal votes, which, if taken from the number received by him as of ficially returned, would reduce the num- Der below the number received by Judge Stiles.
 The law of the party, from time inn memorial, has provided for contests be- tween opposing candidates to be heard and determined by the executive com mittee of the party. The statute law of the state, enacted by a democratic legis- llture, after our electorate had been purified by the new constitution, legalized primary elections and provided, That all elections held under this act may be con tested within five days after the result has been declared in all county elections under the same conditions and on the same grounds as provided in general cleo liOH ldWSs Sdiu COultSl u Dt hSdld aio tried by the county executive committee or other governing body, in elections for county offices.'s
 Our laws and the laws of every state in the union provide for contesting cleo tions. Fraud is abhorrent. And, if fraud Is not purged. not punished; if the wrong which it perpetrates is not righted. then we must live under government of fraud, rather than justice The contest of ap all fo hn na1U DnDth0H of discovering and purging fraud, Is the only possible method of enforcing the will of the people, when 1t has been thwarted by fraud. A declared election or nomination, which cannot undergo inves- tigation which cannot submit to con- test, is confessedly fraudulent. An in vestigation cannot but develop the truth.
 Illegal Votes Charged.
 Judge Stiles in his contest alleged specifically the names of a large number of Illegal voters and the boxes at which their votes were cast. He has since given like notice in writing to Colonel Higdon of other illegal votes. He has published his charges to the world and invited the cooperation of all democrats In his eff forts to discover fraud, asking only that his complaints be heard, his evidence weighed, with equal rights to Colonel Higdon, and that the true result be de- clared
 Your committee met at the appointed time after Colonel Higdon had ten days notice of all these charges, to hear the contest, a committee composed of the chosen representatives of the people from every precinct in the county, obligated as men and democrats to do justice and re- sponsible to the people for their action. Colonel Higdon appeared specially only, for the purpose of questioning the juris- diction of the committee to hear the matter. His objections were heard, con sidered and overruled. The committee determined to do its duty under the law of the party and under the law of the state Your committee adopted fair and equitable plan of procedure. It stood ready to hear evidence to investigate and then to do equal and exact justice It required each party to the contest 10 give notice to the other, as the law re- ouires and as common Justice requires. of the names of the illegal voters, the boxes in which their votes were cast and the grounds of illegality; to the end that neither party should be taken by surprise and to the end that each might investigate the charges of the other and introduce his evidence in relation thereto It caused the committee room to be cleared or