The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-09-09
RECALLS RANK REPUBLICAN
CORRUPTION IN THE PAST
Democratic Candidate VIII Aid
In Securing SacTednsss
Of the Ballot
Oklahoma City, Okla. Sept. 9---lIon

Oklan0hla CITY, Okla., Sept. y--llOn
J w. McNeal, Guthrie, Okla, Ny
Dear Sir; Upon my return to ths
etaFE Yesterday after a vacation OF
8 lraYH tban three weeks, your letter
el'fAHgust nth was delivered to me
Z and have carefully road the same
My absence from the state and m,
consequent failure to receive youl
letter at an earlier date Is my apol
ogy for this delay in answering YOU
Tue suggestions that you make,
looking to an absolutely fair election
~ Oklahoma this fall, meet with my
hearty and unqualified approval, and
J am willing TO lend my aid to any
movement permitted under existing
laws that will render the sacredness
and purity of the ballot absolutely Sc.
cure.
In all my political history have
unwayeringly advocated purity in
politics, and the Democratic party,
as an organization, has been the
steadfast foe of political corruption in
any form. ! am sorry indeed that
the political history of our country
will not Justify the same remark
about the Republican party. One OF
my boyhood political recolleetions is
the election outrage of 1876 in which
the will OF sovereign nation of free
people was ruthlessly overturned by
Republican election board, and a
man who had been overwhelmingly
faA .t l.n. -,
the highest Office within the gift OF
the people of this Government. Again
III 1896 the same party, by the most
shameful use OF millions OF dollars
OF money thwarted free and 1onest
election Since then, in Republican
cities and states, unfair and dishon.
est elections have been SO frequent
that they have become the rule rath-
er than the exception But we need
not go beyond the borders of our
state to find instances of the rankest
unfairnets and discrimination prac-
ticed by the Republican party. We
readily recall the now historic fact
OF the counting out of the late Bill
Cross after he had been elected as
delegate to congress, and that was
accomplished under the election laws
Of Oklahoma territory as enforced by
the Republican party will also
call your attention to the provisions
of the enabling act as passed by a
Republican congress which provided.
that all OF the persons who should
district the proposed state for the
election of delegates to the consttu-
tional convention should be Repub.
licans. and though the Democratic
party was largely In majority 1t was
denied any representation whatever.
Against such unfairness the Demo-
cratic party has constantly and cor
sistcntly warred. The Democracy OF
this state and nation realized that
tie only safeguard TO the prosperity
Of free Government lies In an untram-
melcd ballot. NO greater crime
against good Government can be com
mlttcd than political larceny, and the
punishment for such oifense should
be speedy. certain and severe. IN
keeping with this idea of clean poll
lies and pure Government the plat
form upon which I stand contains
this provision. THE Democratic par
ty of Oklahoma stands for a fair prl-
mary and general election law with
all boards to be bipartisan aud the
members of same to receive endorse
mcnt OF The respective parties prere-
misItc to appointment" Upon this
Continued on Pare 81