Evening journal., 1912-10-24
OPPOSE
BRIBERY
in ELECTION
Doth MIR. Mitchell anu mir.
Bayard Favor Plan as SuG-
geSted by Mr.. Houston
VOTERS ASSISTANTS
TO GET INSTRUCTIONS

TO GET INSTRUCTIONS
Edmund Mitchell, chairman of the
Republican State Committee and
,Thomas f. Bayard, chairman Of the
State Democratic Committee this
morning answered Robert G. Hous-
tons letter relative to the prevention
OF bribery in the coming election. In
their communications both Mr.. Nit
chell and Mr.. Bayard pledge them
selves to instruct the chairmen of the
county committees to direct the vot-
ers assistants to comply with the law
IN the manner as suggested by Mr
Houston. The letter sent to Mr.. Hous-
ton by Mr. Mitchell follows:
October "a. 1912.
Robert G. Houston Esq. Chair
man Progressive State Commit
tee, Georgetown, Delaware.
Dear Sir. am IN receipt OF
your letter Of the 2lst inst. and
IN reply ! beg to assure yo,. that
IN accordance with the declara-
ton contained in the Republican
platform against bribery. am
very glad to agree to your first
proposition.
/ also agree to your second
proposition. as am clearly OF
the opinion that the law should
bc strictly enforced in regard TO
voters assistants performing
their duties aud / shall request
the chairmcn OF the county COM
mittees to direct the voters assis-
tants to comply with the law In
the manner you suggest
Very truly yours,
Edmund Mitchell.
Chairman Republican State Com
mittee.
I'm his letter Mr.. Bayard encoses
copy Of an agreement signed in 1906
BY the then State Chairman Gen r
g. dupont. of the Republican party
aud himself as state chairman of the
Democratic party which covers al
points raised by Alr Houston.
The letter issued by Mr.. BayarC
Follows
Wilmington. Del
October "a, 1912.
Robert G. Houston, Esq
Chairman of Progressive Statl
Commission. Georgetown. Delaware
My Dear Sir-T beg to ac-
knowledge your letter Of the 21si
inst. which did not reach me un-
ti yesterday morning too late
for me TO make a reply upon that
day and ! take this first oppor-
tunity OF giving you an answer.
The Democratic Party in this
State. as we'll as in the nation.
stands for absolute purity Of
elections and as representing the
party organization in this state.
! am more than willing 10 join I'm
any movement which viii insure
pure ballot in Delaware
Regarding your first PROPOSE
ton, I have no hesitancy what
ever in expressing my hearty
agreement thereto, knowing that
i'm doing so represent the
wishes of all the Democrats in
this state
Regarding your second propo-
tition, namely, that the Voters
Assistants appointed by the Gov
ernor az the request OF the Demo-
cratic and Republican parties be
ullNNltQ III every lUHAhHNts WNiH
a voter asks for assistance, to 20
together into the booth with the
voter. beg TO inform you that
this practice prevails here in
Wilmington and generally
throughout the State, so far as
the Democrats are concerned
However am perfectly willing
that all Democratic Voters AS
sistants be directed by the County
Committees 20. in each instance,
conform TO the law and, when "A
voter calls for assistance to mark
his ballot, that the Democratic
assistant at least, shall go into
the booth with him.
I want to call TO your attention
an agreement signed by Mr.. r.
Coleman DUPONT and myself i'm
1906 of which enclose a copy.
which broadly covers everything,
. which you suggest in your letter,
and to suggest to you that an ad-
dress preferably in these very
terms. be signed by the State
Chairman of all of the several
political parties. which have a
ticket on the ballot I'm this COM
paign. / would further add that
in my opinion it is advisable that
such an address be signed and
published at once, in order that
the voters in this State may feel
that all parties through their re-
spective State Chairmen are striv-
ing for pure election in Delaware.
! have taken the liberty OF Civ
ing copies Of this letter 10 the
press before mailing il to you.
Very truly yours,
Syn. THOMAS +. BAlARD.
Chairman, Democratic State Co
mittee
The agreement of 1906 follows:
60 the Voters of the State of De
ware.
Desiring to exercise every eff
Eithin our power to insure the pur
81 the ballot. and the free and /
bammeled exercise thereof in the
lroaching election by the cirzens
lur State We, the undersigned, be
respectively chairman Of the Repul
nn State Committee and Democra
ktate Committee. do hereby prom
md agree with each other and "
he voters Of Delaware that we v
exercise every power lodged In us
Irtue of our ofhcial positions to p
5ent the contribution. distribution
use of money at, before. or after