The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1909-11-19
HADLEY HINDERS LILLE.
GAL VOTERS,
Persistent Efforts of the Gov
ernor Compel Action in Behalf
of Clean Registration and
Honest Ballots.

Jefferson City November I6.
Notwithstanding long continued
and very unpleasant controversy
between Governor Hadley and
the Democratic members of the
election Board in Kanras City--a
board appointed by former Gov
ernor Folk for election reform
purposes--that board has finally
been forced by PUBLIC sentiment
created by the governors per-
sistent demand for an honest and
square deal, to take steps to pre-
vent the voting of thousands
of illegally registered names now
upon the registration books and
which were voted in the last
state election, possibly determin-
ing the election of all the state
officers except governor and lieu
tenant governor, and of Demo-
cratic majority on joint ballot in
the Legislature. The controver-
sy between the board and the
governor began last June and
created political sensation,
leading to unwarranted personal
illusions to the chief executive
and to threats of damage suits,
prosecutions, etc.
The outcome of the controver-
sy is decisive and gratifying
victory for Governor Hadley
personally and officially, and is.
in large part, a fullfllmen of the
pledge of the Republican state
platform to compel honest cleo
tions in the cities. 1t will result
in cleaning up deplorable cleo
tion conditions in Kansas City.
The story of the fight between
1.-The governor and the Democrat
lic members Of the Kansas City
Election Board is more than in
Iteresting-it is prophetic of hon.
est elections in Kansas City and
| in the entire state.
Before the state election in
November of last year it be-
cam apparent to Republican
party workers that several thous-
and illegal names had been reg
istered on the lists of voters in
the several wards of Kansas City
Republicans could do nothing tc
prevent the fraudulent voting oi
such names, as the Democrats
controlled the Board of Election
Commissioners, the police and
the city administration, and had
almost absolute sway at the
polls. The result of the election
showed clearly that the fraudu
lent registered vote had beer
polled. The city gave an unex
lpected Democratic majority
majority which the Democratic
nominees for state offices had no
anticipated, and which CAV,
them victory when they expected
defeat. 1t was said then, and i
believed now, that the illegal vot'
cast in Kansas City was responsi
bic for the defeat of those Repub
| lican candidates for state Office
Whose election was necessary t
give the state a complete Repub
lican administration, and es
pecially to insure a Republican
State Board Of Equalization. An,
these same illegal votes deprive'
the Republicans of the two Kan
sas City state senator's and sew
eral members of the House Q
|Representatives--thus preventing
the election of Republican I
the United States Senate an
seriously hindering the policie
of Governor Hadley.
After Governor Hadley ha
completed the re-organizatio
) of the Board of Police Com
missioners last spring and ha
placed on that board men b
! could safely rely upon to asst:
him in preventing further us
of the fraudulent registration
he inaugurated a movement I
!. save Kansas City from the gras
! lof election crooks and the 0on
! Iination of special interests whic
: had corrupted elections and d
baunched local politics fc4 year
Recognizing the authority
the Board of Election Commi
h sioners. he asked the body
n make canvas in order to di
Y cover fraudulent registration an
r to eliminate it. In june, prepar
Z i torxy ~ tha anpcsnl election RI