Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1915-09-13
MONDAY. SEPTEMBER l3. 1915.
THE CORPUS CHRISTI ELECTION IN
VE>TIGATION.

The Herald b, IN receipt OF a printed
copy Of ar editorial from the Cornu~
Christi Caller u recent date. which IN e.
ieet questions the propriety of the election
investigation by the federal district court
now ~ process ID Corpus Christi. ANA even
lmphes doubt - to the righr of the court
III the matter. We had read the editorial
pevlon>lv m tile Caller. but hot being IN
sympathy with the views expressed touch
ing upo- these points. and w the same
time not wishing u lutrude an opinion
which might Pa construed a. adverse to
the partIe~ who have been indicted under
the federal laws. a. a result Of this hives
t~igation. when III reality We have no such
feeling whatever touching the subject. We
reiraIned from either copying or comment
ing upon it. However. since the Callers
editorial J. now being scattered anonv-
mouslv over the district III circular form.
evidently with the object of preiudicing
the minds III reader. against the action If
the federal government IN this instance. a.
well a IN all instances where election laws
may be believed To- have been violated.
thereby affecting tie election OF members of
Of congress-, who are federal officials. we
feel constrained to place The Herald on
record with regard to such matters. We
would add to our predatory remarks. how
ever, that We do not N any way hold the
Caller responsible for this ANONYMOUS ef-
fort To discredlt the federal election inves-
tigation.
In SO far ~ the results Of the election
referred to are concerned, The Herald has
nothing 10 say-whethcr local or state or
congressional officials elected. The Her
aid, In fact. has some warm friends who
were elected TO Office at this election. and
we should hate very much indeed 10 see
them lose out a. the result Of this in
vestigation. With regard 10 some of the
men indicted. we can only say that We
wish most sincerely and most earnestly
that they may come through this trial with
as clean hands a. we nave always believed
they had. Yet, We can not agree with the
Caller IN the stand which il has taken with
regard TO the propriety of this federal
probe Of alleged election frauds. Since the
diit2diitl~ Wit iHdut tiidk SutU tbFGuI-
tion existed. there was nothing else TO do
no other course "a pursue. To have evaded
us responsibility. when such charges were
made. with apparently reasonable grounds
upon which 10 base them. would have made
the federal government, in effect "A party To
alleged CORFU ton ord even criminal prac-
tees.
The Herald does not question the ground
taken by the Caller To the effect that this
investigation may have been the outcome
OF local pre- Iudlce, or even inspired by
spite. In this respect we are absolutely
without grounds upon which 10 base IN
opinion, nor do We feel called upon in the
slightest degree to participate in Corpus
Christi's local election quarrels. We have
enough subject matter of that kind right
at home. were we inclined to become in
volved in such. controversies Yet, We do
not believe it 10 be the province, much less
the duty, of the federal government to
question the motives which may lie at bot
tom Of such charges a. lavc been brought
before it in these eases, SO long rs they are
made by apparently reputable persons and
based upon what appear to be grounds suf-
ficient TO call for investigation.
In other words. The Herald believes that
the federal court is simply doing its duty
with regard TO the election investigation at
Corpus Christi-a duty which the court
could not have side topped without APP
pearing to regard il as Of slight Importance
thta election frauds have been charged.
Taken a a whole, The Herald feels that
the Caller, in taking this stand has made
a serious mistake-that the Caller is in