Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-10-07

Ballot Shortage.
Seventh, There Is no denying tho
fact that studied effort was made to
supply an insufficient number of ball
lots on the fair election law propo-
sitior where deciced ma jority OF the
voters were known to favor the meas
ure. The shortage Of ballots as origin
ally sent out by the state election
board was 72 100. Protests of an In
sufficient number Of ballots were
made from virtually every county in
the state. 81 counties secured addi-
tional ballots from the state board
after complaint was made, and in
other counties additional ballots were
printed locally to make up for the
, deficiency. After sending out this
large additional number of ballots.
there still remained n shortage. Def
mite information from 1l5 precincts
in S4 different counties showed up
shorto geNof more than three thousand
ballots; number OF precincts re-
ported ballot shortages without Civ
ing the specific shortage. Sufficient
information has been ascertained TO
warrant tho statement that there was
a provable shortage on the day or the
election of at least 5000. In other
/ words, this number of voters, Demo-
Gratis. Republicans, Socialists, Pro-
gresslves and Prohibltionists. were de-
| election law" Democratic voters hav-
ing beon instructed thru the Demo-
cratic machine to vote early had tho
| best opportunity TO express by their
vote their desires with reference to
this law. In many precincts fair
election law" ballots were not handed
out ly the Democratic precinct cleo
tior law officials to the voters unless
| specific demand was made for the
4 cal n
supplied by the state election board
on the fair election law proposition
were exhausted by 1890 o'clock on
the ddy Of the election. 1t Is certainly
safe estimate to say that the meas
ure was defrauded out OF at least ten
C,ousand affirmative or yes votes
by reason OF these shortages
There w3s no shortage on other
tickets. In fact. a large surplus Of
ballots was had on other ballots. rke
! state election board alone is respons-
ible for this ballot shortage.
Ballots Removed From Pads.
| Eight, My investigation has dis
closed that In many precincts ballots
and ballot stubs were removed from
ballot pads, for the purpose OF MAX
ing the number on the ballots greater
than the total number of voters voting
in the election BY taking the last
| numUeTeQ DilllOt +6Stu bS tic toehh
number of voters IN the precinct. My
| investigation convinces mo that this
wan done by the state election board
systematically throughout the state
for che purpose of deceiving honest
election officials into making false re-
turns Of tho number of voting-many
returns were made by particular ref
erencc to the stub numbers.
Twenty Nine Precincts Out.
ninth, Up to this good minute. al
most a year after the measure has
been declared lost by the state cleo
ton board, there has not been COM
plete returns made to the state cleo
/ ton board as required by law. No re-
tui ms of the vote on the fair election
law" proposition having been made to
tho state election board by the county
boards in 20 precincts In IL counties
of the state.
| County Returns.
Tenth, In many instances the coun-
ty election boards failed to certify
the total number Of voters voting In
their county. Where this was not done
the state board would sometimes take
the combined vote for presidential
} electors, or what they thought was the
high vote for some other office where
that vote was greater than the vote
, for presidential electors. and In other
instances would take the high vote as
shown by the vote for presidential
electors or other candidates and would
estimate that there were certain
number of silent voters in county
and would add that to the total. In
fact the manner OF ascertaining or de-
termining the total vote in the state
by counties by the state election board
could not be ascertained, for In one
county a certain method would be fol-
lowed while in another a different
method would be followed and so on
thru the entire list as might give the
greatest number.
Supplemental Returns Requested.
Eleventh. In many instances sup
Elemental returns and affidavits were
requested by the state election board
from the county boards or from the
county secretary, when the original
returns did not suit, the supplemental
returns being used when their use
better suited, altho such was In plain
violation Of law.
No Complete Transcript.
Twelfth, There does not now exist
nor has there ever been in the office
Of the state election board a complete
and accurate Transcript or abstract OF
the total vote by counties as certified
DY .COuntlcS OI ciIHtI tiio yco oHN
mo- vote on state question No. rs. the
Fair Election law" measure, or of the
total vote cast In the state by coun-
ties.
Fictitious Transcript.
Thirteenth, There was a purported
record Of supposed returns fixed by
the state election board. or certain
members thereof or its employees. for
the palpable purpose OF defeating the
Fair Election law" measure and
which record was on file NJ the office
Of the state election board Tor time.
This purported transcript OF the "yes''
and mo" vote on the Fair Election
law" proposition. and In its attempt to
show tho total number of voters vot-
ing In the state at the November. 1916,
election, was inaccurate false. padded
and did not attempt to comply or
conform to the returns as certified by
the respective county election boards,
and was known to be false, inaccurate.
incomplete. fictitious. padded and false
in It's pretended total yes" and mo-
vote and the pretended total" vote