The Cairo bulletin., 1908-11-18
Sellers and Buyers Of Votes to be
Sent to Penitentiary-- y--Perma-
nent Organization Form
ed Leading Men
Declare Them
selves

'ahIc number of other voters VINO feit
the same way, and these were the
nurchasable element over whom the
Ccntending factions or parties en-
eaged in strife. He said there were
plenty Of laws on the books to step
fbc purchasing of votes and other
election evils The primary election
law was wrong in eXempting the ptr-
chaser and providing nunishment
lhe seller of votes. He believed the
rempter was worse than the tempted,
the seducer worse than the seduced,
He believed the primary law was un'
constitutional because OF the pro
Vision referred to- But the buyers and
sellers of votes could be reached and
TWO or three convictions would stop
.he evil
Walter II. Wood, chairman Of the
Republican county central committee
and one of the committee of fifteen.
assured the meeting that the charge
made by some people that the move
ment was started by people who had
axes to grind was untrue. Not
member of the committee was can
Gidate for any office; so far as ne
knew not "A man connected with the
movement had any purpose except to
correct the election evils that had
been complained Of IT cost too
much money to run for office IN
Cairo. He felt that to reach the evil
would be "a tremendous job and II
the good people were not any more
active than they were at elections
they would not succeed, One great
trouble had been that so few citizens
tock any interest in their elections.
There were never more than three or
four in each ward who would give
any time to the elections.
lat this point Chairman Huette in
terrupted the speaker with a call to
all who were willing to give one day
to election work to stand up. Every
one rosel
Mr.. Wood continuing said if citi-
zens took more interest in their cleo
tions there would be less corruption.
] ]
going to the penitentiary than the
politicians. and if they knew they
we're being watched, they would be
careful. He knew bad things had
been done by the Republicans, but the
other fellows had not been asleep.
Five hundred negroes had gone to
the polls and sworn they could not
read or write and permitted the judge
| to mark their tickets for them. They
/ knew they were swearing a id
lie" when they did this Laughter
] and applausel He felt sure he could
sreak for the Republican organiza-
/ tion and say they would aid in the
movement as far as possible. He
hnped the movement would not be
permitted TO die.
/ J. 5. Aisthorpe made a fervent lit
lt,a speech heartily endorsing the
movement. He said it made no diff.
Terence if other cities were bad also,
o. worse; we had to act for our.
selves We wanted to be assured
THAT our candidates for office will be
lelccted by the people. not by the cor
run tionists. Il could not be expected
that officials should be honest If they
had to spend three or four times as
nuch as an office was worth in order
ito get H. White people were u
blame for the drove OF negroes who
| stood around the polls on election
DAYS and refused to vote unless they
were paid. The white people had
taught them this: and there were
goCdlv number Of white men alsc
who wanted money Good men must
be elected by the people. If We were
TO have good government There
Wag no intention TO reflect on this OF
ary other city administration. W.
lhaye had good and bad aiministTa
ltions in the past. We have a progres
sivc administration today which ha
done much good for Cairo. Thil
movement was for the future th'
Purpose being TO elect good men rc
lgariless Of politics. and 70 eliminst'
the traffic in the ballot
i Mayor Parsons said be was pres
eut te lend his influence to the move
|meLt for clean elections. and b.
fEculd DO what he could ohiciallf
and individually 10 aid in carryiui
lout tne uurucse Of the meeting
! George Jackson spoke fo. the DO
zroes present pleIElng Their esrne-
stuuort He said he wanted n
imcn CT his race 70 show their man
Hnod- many Of the yoJng men IA
I been trained ~ the white people q
laecept money fer ther votes. but ~
fllt she representative Ct the rae
present would Do al in their pow
tr hei1 Tho Htiie people send thss
B IoHeufe1s 70 the psuiteutiaTy