The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-11-14
TuE SAME OLD STORY.

Now comes tho same old story Of election
frauds
what ot it2" asks wcu.known democratic
politician OF tho old school "who ever heard
OF an honeet slecuon7 II wouldn't he an election
II there wasn't some stealing done"
But II IL too serious matter to dismiss thus
lightly. II ls probably true that oklahoma has
never experienced an election tina, was oven
inessursbly honest, but that fact only adds to
ia, seriousness, 81 tss situation.
II an election can he determined well In nd-
vance. and ths Consequence written Into tho
record regardless OF IN. will of tho sovereign
voters why make pretonse ot popular govern
ment at alt7 why go to the expense Of hold
ing an election!
The disclosures In Creek county merely show
tho methods employed. they do not limit the
practice to Creek county by any means It Is
absurd 10 make pretenso that this sort OF thing
was done only In Creek county. Rather Ia one
inclined to believe that In this Greek county
expose. one has the explanation OF the heavy
vote in southern counties and the light vote In
northern counties
A gentleman from one OF the southern coun-
ties where all prediction reports indicated
close race between the gubernatorial candidates
with many democrats refusing 10 vote, Is au-
thorlty for the statement that he and his fell
lows are bewildercd by the heavy vote reported.
There were hundreds OF democrats who did
not visit the polls" no says. but the returns
snow a vote practically 100 per cent OF registra-
ton while tho democratic majority instead OF
being decreased an everyone anticipated, was
actually Increased. Evidently somebody voted
the silent vote and voted It straight
In one precinct In Oklahoma county It is re-
ported that II straight democratic ballots were
found In one package and not even folded.
There is probably not an Intelligent ana in
formed man In the state today but either be-
icvcs or positively knows that the election
traudA OF November were tho worst In the
history OF the state.
No, there Is probably nothing that can be
done about II. 1t all comes from tho atrocious
practice OF the major party refusing 20 allow
the minority party tho right to appoint the mi
uori,y membership on all election boards
This practice Ia tantamount OF course, TO
denying minority membership on tho election
boards. Because II the major party can select
it's own minority membership then II can Just as
easily perpetrSte election frauds as II the whole
board was made up from one political organiza-
ton
The spirit OF the law calls for the minority
membership OF the election boards being APP
pointed by the minority party organization, else
there is no sense reason In such provision
Minority membership is provided for but one
purpose--to either prevent or disclose frauds
and lmproprieties. Likewise It can be said, with
out fear OF successful contradiction. that the re-
fusal OF the machine TO recognize the recon-
mendations OF the minority party Is actuated by
but one possible thought that the machine may
be in a position to perpetrate election frauds.
We heard considerable during the campaign
about the danger OF the democratic party los
ing the election machinery. That fear seemed
to outweigh every other consideration The
Creek county expose shows why.