Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-03-19
MINNEAPOLIS NEWS.
NO NUMBERING.
DEMOCRATS, wORKINGMEN AND Ma
TIONALS.
MINNEAPOLIS NEWS

NO NUMBERING.
DEMOCRATS, WORKINGMEN AND Ma
TIONALS.
THERE IS NO FEAR OF LOSING YOUR SITUATE ONs
GIVE wAsHBURN BLACK EYE. YOUR EN-
PLoYERs CANNOT FIND OUT HOW YOU VOTE.
The judges of election met at the council
chamber at 8 o'clock yesterday afternoon to
consult as to whether it would be legal, after
the recent decision of the Ramsey county
court, to number the ballots. After consult
ing the best legal talent of the city it was
determined to receive the votes as of old, and
deposit without placing the numbers oppo-
site the different names.
This makes the thing all secure! Now,
boys, go to the polls and vote as you please!
The bulldozers can't rob you of your
places.
Vote for Donnelly, and down with all
rings"
In st. Paul the same paper announces the
resolution of the judges not to number the
ballots under head line, "No NUMsERs-
FREE UNTRAMMELED BALLoTt'
This, it will be remembered, was contem.
poraneous history; it shows that it was un-
derstood at that time, before any contest
could have been contemplated by contestant,
that the numbering of the ballots would re-
suit in the intimidation of the workingmen,
who were in favor of Donnelly; and that if
the ballots were not numbered Donnelly
would secure larger vote among the work
ingmen.
EFFECT OF THE PUBLICATION.
This newspaper, it is shown, reached
Minneapolis before o'clock on the morn
ing OF the election, and it had large circu-
lation in that city. (See p. 46, ques. 9, 10,
IL, 12.) 1t, doubtless, reused the friends of
the sitting member to action; for we find
that by 9 o'clock, the hour at which the
polls opened, q decision had been reached to
number the ballots in seven out of fifteen
election precincts of Minneapolis. It is
charged by contestant in his brief that these
precincts were largely inhabited by work
ingmen; and this statement was not denied
by the counsel for the contestee in his brief.
It appears (p. 1917 that in one precinct ed,
of the Fourth ward) all the voters were
workingmen; and the returns of the votes
of previous elections show that large Dem
ocratic vote was cast in these precincts.
THE INTENT.
If the numbering of the ballots had been
the result of an innocent mistake on the part |
of thejudges of these seven precincts; if they |
had been Ignorant of the desision of the dis |
trict court of RamseYcounty, declaring such |
unconstitutional; if there was no |
evidence to show fraud or intimidati on, We |
should not be in favor of casting out the |
votes of these precincts simply for the rea-
son that the ballots had been mum bered
This was the view taken by the election COM
mittee in the case of Mckenzie vs.. Braxton,
q dist. Virginia, Contested Elections, 1916,
o. 2O.) The committee, (McCrary, chairman,)
says: "Although it would be possible, from
The numbering of the ballots, to ascertain
how each person voted, it is not claimed in
this case that this was done, or that the
tickets were voted for any such purpose, or
for any improper or unlawful purpose what
svsr."
The question of intent therefore, is the
true question at issue, and all the circum-
stances, in the case under consideration,
point to . corrupt intent:
1. A cloud of bribery surrounds the vote
made no effort to dissipate.
2. There is evidence showing widespread
among the employers of labor to
Coflupt, duo, WueHe lucy COulo uOG corrupt,
10 intimidate their workmen.
8. The testimony shows that the workmen
we're intimidated, and that they believed
that they would lose their means of subsist-
snce if they voted against Washburn.
4. The judges of election knew that the
numbering of the ballots had been declared
by court of record second {
,nly to the supreme court in dignity. II
8. They had been told by their own law
,ficer. whose opinion they had requested, |