Mountain advocate., 1920-12-10
J. b. SNYDER RAPs POST

we publish below letter by
Commonwealth Attorney ]. b. Sny-
der on the late charges of election
fraud in the mountains. AS all the
counties charged with fraud are in
Mr.. Snyder's district he felt It his
duty to clean the slate and in our
opinion he has done so.
Editor Evening Post:
In the issue OF your paper OF Nov
ember 5th and in previous issues
you have cast reflections on the Re-
publican majorities given Mr.. Ernst
over Mr.. Beckham and in which you
quote the chairman of the Dem ocra-
tic Campaign Committee. Mr.. Grayot
as saying that "the apparent major
| ity for Ersnt was secured by monu-
mental frauds in certain of the noun
tain counties" ] also find in same
issue of your paper, in the list OF
mountain counties impugned as
| fraudulent, the three counties of my
district, viz: Knox, Whitley and Nc
Craery, and | concern myself, as a
public official, in your statement so
far as it affects these three counties.
The machinery OF the court OF which
I ! am prosecuting attorney is always
open to investigate and try any cases
tof fraud practiced in this or any
other election. regardless of whether
the offenders be Democrats or Re-
publicans. But the evidence you hint
at in your paper would not even
black paper against anyone on this
charge, as neither of the majorities
in either of the three counties above
mentioned is double the majority
given Morrow For instance, Whit
ley gave Morrow 5000, but in this
election instead of doubling her ma
jority only gave Ernst 5.61S, and the
other counties are on the same basis
The Hon. Ralph w. Gilbert, Con-
gressman-elect from the Eighth dis
trict, was sent here to inspect the
canvass of the returns on yesterday,
by the Democratic managers. and the
grand Jury was in session at the
time and, being desirous of finding
out II there was any irregularity in
the vote of this county, called before
it Judge Gilbert as a witness, who
slater, that he had failed to find any
irregularity in the vote of this
county. Republican managers in
Whitley and Knox counties have
stated that they court rigid inves-
tigation of the same in these counties
Now as another evidence of the
inflated" majorities from the noun
tains you state that certain Demo-
cratic speakers received a most cor
dial reception at one place, and left |
with unprecedented enthusiasm pre-
vailing, hut Beckham got less vot IS
and Ernst nearly l 1000 at that pla ce |
This is nothing strange as this vas |
the old time mountain hospitality |
manifesting itself, as mountain peo-
pie receive strangers within the |
gates" with Outstretched arms but |
that does not mean that they are go
ing to fall for the strangers" and |
vote for or with them. Just for a |
little comparison, contrast this re- |
ceptiOn of Democratic speakers in |
mountains, with the treatment of |
President-elect Harding in Danville,
where. previous to his arrival, his
platform was torn down and destroy
ed and parts of same scattered over
that large city. Another instance is
interesting, when young Theodore
Roosevelt spoke at Pikeville, Dem
ocratic leader and politician belabor-
ed himself in successive attempts to !
break up the meeting.
Now. in conclusion, let me ask you |
that so far as the three counties OF |
my district are concerned. il you |
know OF any fraud. then put your
finger on it, so it can be dealt with,
or hush about it, You may give such
publicity to this letter as you desire,
in keeping with the facts.
Yours very truly,
]. r. SNYDER