The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1914-01-08
TO the Editor of The Herald:


must rejoice in those features Of our
primary system that give every true
Democrat in South Carolina the right
to vote whether he be rich or poor
learned or illiterate. Perhaps no.
where else in the world is there such
universal white manhood suffrage.
The problem is to make the vote
pure as we'll as free.
No matter who the voter is he does
lot want his vote killed by the bal
lot of some repeater or outsider.
What use is it for one county to be
honest when some other practices
wholesale fraud? or for you to vote
once when others are voting twice?
Freedom has to be guarded.
To decide on remedy we must
first find exactly where the trouble
lies. | am going to cite some in
stances. See if you do not agree that
the fault is twofold, first with you
and me and the rest of the rank and
iile who have been unwilling to be
put to the trouble of obeying even
Tie loose rules we have, and then
with these rules which are so poorly
arranged that the most conscientious
election managers are helpless where
voters set out to cheat.
Tammany Methods.
There may have been some minor
irregularities in this county, but we
believe that it was a fair election so
far as county is concerned
reported one county chairman to the
Investigating committee a year ago.
He adds, however, Il found that the
club lists had disappeared. Our COM
mittee has been unable to locate
them
Over night some one stole the
records from the ballot boxes. A ia
:niliar device of Tammany thugs in
the good old days practiced right
here in a farming county of South
Carolina. The chairman was honest
and sincere, though, when ne called
this minor irregularity," for every
one of US who has anything to dc
with our election management sees
rules so violated on every hand that
only downright bribery is considered
serious.
Early or Not at All.
In another important county it is
no uncommon thing for a voter to
find on going to the polls that some
one has cast ballot in his name.
Friends who had this experience
laughed to me about it as part OF
the regular order of things, remark
ing Next time we must be a. the
polls when they are opened The
State executive committee called on
the party authorities from that coun-
ty for a report on the election and
the reply was no irregularities
found" There so mild term as "lr-
regularly" is too harsh name for
the most fragrant frauds and every
thing goes.
Why Rules Among Friends?
In still another big county the To-
cal executive committee found among
other irregularities" that
Men were allowed to vote whose
names were not enrolled on the club
lists.
At one box 12S names of those who
voted were found after most search
ing examination to be fictitious.
The average of the poll lists of all
the county boxes showed from 20 per
cent. to i per cent. that could not
be identified.
At other boxes $40 names of actual
persons were found to have appar-
emily voted from two to five times,
and after making allowances for a
possible proportion as proper, large
number were seen to be repeaters.
In a very few instances was the
club roll certified to.
Eystanders were called in by man.
ayers to assist in counting the bal
lots, one of whom did destroy or at
temrt to destroy tickets.
Managers of election were not
sworn and other voters took no oaths.
Yet this committee in summing up
spoke of these things as numerous
irregularities, but found no evidence
of fraud.
Summarized in Another Way.
Managers omit to take the honesty
cblisation oath the party rules re-
Guire.
Disregarding the rules, they allow
men to vote whose names are not on
the poll lists.
These voters and others cast their
hallCts without swearing as to their