Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1880-09-14
ANOTHER CHAPTER IN THE
STATE STEAL.
THE SKowHEGAN CASE. How 595
VOTERS WERE DIsrRANCHIsED.

TIE SKowHEGAN CASE. How $40
VOTERS WERE DIsrRANcHIsED.
We propose to present our readers with
the explanation of another case in the
counting. out conspiracy. Not unlike
those we have already given, it is most
glaring in its enormity We refer to the
Skowhegan case. Our readers will find
at the head Of this column reproduction
of the vote thrown in Skowhegan at the
last September election. 1t is fac
simiie of the vote, but for convenience we
have reduced its size one- third, preserv-
ing its proportions. 1t will be seen that
the shape of the vote, instead OF being
nearly square, is printed on narrow slip
of paper. Instead of the names OF can
didates being printed in one column. the
usual style, they are printed in two
columns. The law of the State in regard
to the form of ballot is as follows:
.sNo ballot shall be received at any cleo
ton of State or county officers unless III
writing or printing upon clean white paper
without any distinguishing mark or nSures
thereon besides the names of the persons
voted for aud the offices To be filled but no
rote shall be rejected on his account after q
is receircd into the ballot bOf.
1t is not denied that the Republican
ballot in Skowhegan was upon clean
white paper. and had no Distinguishing
mark save the names of the persons voted
for and the offices to be filled but on the
day of election William Philbric, Fusion
nominee for Congress in the Third Dis
,rict, claimed when the voting was TAX
ing place, that the ballots thus thrown
bore "a distinguishing mark. The
Selectmen. two of whom were Democrats
decided otherwise. and the ballots were
received, and the Selectmen made up
their returns in due form, and forwarded
them to the Office of the Secretary OF
State. |; was found that III. ). Steward,
the Republican candidate for Representa-
tive. received sos votes, and Danial Snow
/ Democratic candidate, 800 votes. Ma
joritv for Steward, 293. Did the Gov
cnor aud Council give the seat to Mr.
Steward. to whom it belonged: No
Why:
They threw out the entire Republican
vote, on the ground that the votes con
tanned distinguishing marks, dis
. franchisiug 59j citizens Of Skowhegan
and counting-in as Representative a man
who had 293 majority against him. The
/ Governor and Council did this notwith-
/ standing the statute explicitly says that
'.l,o ,o,, shaft be- rejected on has account
after i T., recrirea into The ballot bor.
The law is as plain as possible. and
takes away from the Governor and Coun'
ell and even the seicctmcn the power ic
rcirc, any vote on the ground indicated
after ii has teen received into the ballot
box. The law does not undertake to
I prescribe the size or form Of ballots to be-
used. Who shall gay what the standard
lis: That a long ballo, shall be counted
and a wide one shall not That vote
with two columns has a distinguishing
mark. while a vote with one column has
none, The ,qw sets IN no standard
/ In every town we find all manner and
sizes OF votes. Some excentric old gen
tleman, IN the scclusion o. his home, OF
| in corner Of the ward room or town
house, G:s,iking some Of the candidates
on the regularly printed ballot, prepares
ballot OF his own, and II comes to the
ballot. box in any conceivable shape OF
without any shape. The ballot may be
foo, wide or an inch wide but once re-
ceived by the Selectmen, and placed II
the ballot-box he question Is torere'
seulei. THAT VOTE Is SACRED
| AND II MUST BE COUNTED
Blu, Coz. Garcelon and his yillainou.
crew overthrow the will Of the people O
Skowhegan by the violation of the plair
law, and in the face Of the decision OF The
Supreme Court of Maine. And the peo-
| pie of HE Third District are asked to en-.
dorse and confirm this outrage by voting
for William Philbrick, candidate TO
member OF Congress, one of It's author:
and defenders. Be it said to the lastine
honor of DASIEr Snow Of Skowhegan-
who stood in the noble company of LEwi'
VOTER of Pennington, and EnENEzEI
SpRouL OF Neal,e-h2 refused TO tai e th'
seat rendered him in that disreptuab!'
manner. He said to them, you may
steal a seat in the Legislature, but vii
ne>er accept .he stolen goods
The campaign is All 100 snort 10 snow
up each individual case of rascality per
petrated by Garcelon and his crew. Tht
cases we have given from week to weeE
are specimen bricks" that stamp 'h'
State Administration OF 1873 infamous II
history. The election Of 1850 will recor'
the peoples verdict upon the transaction
and it will be so emphatic as to rende
impossible the repetition of the State
steal.-Somerset Reporter.