The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1916-11-05

grant you that men can vote who are
not entitled to vote; that men may
register as republicans and vote as
democrats IN democratic primary,
if the inspectors violate their oaths,
and allow them to do so; that in like
manner men not registered at all
may vote; and there is no way to pre-
vent it but to depend upon the hon
esty of the voter and inspectors, and
to punish them with imprisonment in
the penitentiary if they violate their
oaths and their duties; but to change
ballot, after it has been cast, to pro-
claim a wrong return is not so easy.
Let me enumerate the safeguards
against that.
L. The result must be publicly
proclaimed in each precinct.
2. The number of unused ballots
must be accounted for.
8. Duplicate tally books must be
kept and one must be sent to the coun-
ty judge and the other to the super
visor of registration.
4. There must be COLLISION be-
tween the county judge and super
visor of registration, in order to
change results so that they cannot be
detected, or both tally books must be
secured and the same changes made
upon each.
The ballots are kept inviolate from
fraud as far as it is possible, taking
into consideration that human agency
must be brought into play in the con-
duct of elections.
Appeal to Citizens Who Are Not
Democrats.
What / have said heretofore has
been addressed to democrats who
took part in the primary election and
who ought to be bound thereby.
I believe that political parties are
necessary. This is government by
parties, and will continue to be, be-
cause an individual cannot crystalline
his views into law without the CO.
operation of others of like views.
Those who think alike must act to-
gether. In order to present united
front and settle the questions at is
sue, political parties must select can
didates. But in this election, all good
citizens, whether democrats or not
ought to be interested, and l appeal
for their support of the democratic
nominee upo- the following grounds
| l. It is wrong to allow our politics
to be secretly controlled. Heretofore
any independent candidate for gov
ernor would not have been able t.
| gather around him a force sufficient
to arouse the democrats of the state
but Mr.. Cats, the independent can.
didate for governor, is running pri
marily as the choice Of one or more
secret oathbound political anti-dem
ocratic societies. That is why he j.
a candidate now. He would have beer
a candidate regardless of the result,
of the primary election. just as ht
has charged fraud without proof
just as he has condemned the com
mittee without cause for its action OF
October 7th, he falsely charged then
with being drunk at the time they
passed the resolutions in January, de-
signed to keep secret political socie
ties out of the democratic party.
il 2. Members of secret politica
parties have it in their power to com
bine the unorganized citizens gener.
ally, and cast their votes enbloc
and thus maintain at least the bal
ance of power in elections.
i 8. These members of secret polit
zeal societies in turn are themselves
controlled by their officers and chie1
3. representatives. They are not FIRE.
agents. They vote as they are tolt
to vote.
y 4. If these societies would put ul
!, their own candidates and had theil
, own primaries, it would be bas
enough, but when they undertake Il
. act within and as members of a pc
. litical party, they become intolerable
Their numbers are not known, excep
: to themselves. They are thus enables
: to threaten and browbeat and black
: mail the political party which per
} mits them to participate in its part!
affairs. They make towards of par
ties and especially do they make cow
/. ards of weakened candidates. WI,
} is that some candidates who hav
; been honored by the democratic part,
with nominations in the recent pr
mary have not the manhood to stan'
/ up and b. open in support of Nh
Knott for governor? It is becaus
{ they are afraid of these societies an
/ their secret strength and influence.
: 5. The success of these societie
: in this election means bossism in pol
9 itics, and bossism at its very worst
:. Political bosses are bad enough q
a best, but you are able to known Their
e when they are not hidden by their sc
cret membership to call the after
: ton of ueopIe to their puruoses IN,