Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1879-12-03

A characteristic plot for securing {
continuance of tho power of the Demo
cratic state officials In Maine has Just
been developed, but whatever may he ita
immediate result 1t will sooner or ]atel
rccoil with crushing effect upon the party
-a.A sh-~ s-.t...-A - .Ai~A 4 kaa hAan rnn.
OOcted. The rananf AlActiou fnr arsnrnni
in Maine resulted - follows:
Davis, Republican. ,46S
Smith, Greenbacker. ,61O
Garcelon, ..................2I,17 176
Bradbury, Democrat. aid scattering. 3l1
The state constitution requiring .
majority to elect, there was no choice
by the people, for although the kepub-
lican candidate had very large plural
ity, he lacked 586 of majority over all
opponents. In such cases the constitu-
tion provides that the lower house of the
legislature shall send to ths senate two
names from the four highest Of the can.
didates voted for, ONE OF which shall be
elected governor. Al at the last election
the Republicans elected IS senators TO
the Democrats and Greenbackers IL, and
81 representatives to 60 BY the oppositien,
they very properly counted ON being
able to place their candidate In
the gubernatorial chair. But just here
appears the conspiracy to cheat them
out of their we'll earned victory. The
constitution and lawso the state require
the governor and council, who in the
present instance are Democrats, 70 send
certificates of election to the persons who,
on the face of the returns, appear to b
chosen to the senate and house,
and II the returns are irregular
or defective in form they can
send to the town authorities for such cor
rectiOns ~ will make them conform to
the result a. recorded in the local 10
cords. Any inquiry Into the regularity
of the election Is the province OF the
two houses, which, "a in other states, are
made Judges Of the election and qualifi.
cations of their members. Immediately
after the election the Democrats
raised the cry Of "frand and bribery" "
and they have kept It mp evsr
since, with what purpose now appeara.
The Boston Globe, the organ Of that
political saint, Ben. Butler, has been CON.
spicuous In this cry of corruption, and
has devoted columns to disseminating
the idea that the Republicans carried
the state by bribery and other forms OF
crime against the ballot box. But
after an this noise, upon being
pressed for evidences Of III charges,
1t made out to show that SOW
enty.six dollars, In the aggregate, was
spent In seven towns f0I el4cttQo pQI.
posed No On0 Wh0 k60WS
about political management would -.
riously claim that any great amount d
corruption could be worked with such
an Insignificant sum. were tho managerl
10 disposed. The Heagerness OF the sum
il, ON its face, evidence that 1t was used
solely in payment of legitimate expcnsea
of the campaign. A pretended letter OF
Senator Blaine was published ~ evidences
of fraud, but the senator promptly Do
nounced It ~ . forgery, and the 0lobe
showed its animus BY refusing to publish
his card.
1t is said that on this irrespensible
CRY of fraud the Democratic governor
and council have determined to assume
tho power to reject tho votes Of al
towns where Irregularities or frauds An
alleged; and, as these are al kepublicar
towns, the Democrats would thus securt
control Of the legislature at it, organisa
ton, and before the vacancies could b
filed they would have secured the elec
tion Of their candidate for governor.
II the Democracy dare consummate {
bold Z usurpation Of rower, they vii
meet with . retribution at the hands Q
the people, . year hence, that VII
ehectual1y preclude the possibility 9
their ever again repeating the crime. !
there was any fraud In the election ther
is . legitimate way Of exposing an
punishiDg It, but 20 glaring IN outras
upon law and the will Of the majority {
the people - b proposed BY these minol
| ity officials cannot be tolerated withou
incurring the greatest peril 70 the pFil
ciple Of free and honest e1eCtiOlla