Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-10-03
Szilp ytnnebef J1nrnaI.
A1glsts. Wednesday Morning. Oct. 8.
The Butler Count-out.

The Butler COunt-out.
General Butler is seeking his election
by setting on loot a plan to count ont his
opponent where there seems to be an op-
portunity to do 80. This is one of the
Governors moves in the interest of re-
form. Anything to beat the republicans"
and continue himself in Office is what
Governor Butler regards as the chief duty
of q reformer. The count-out failed to
work in Maine and now we shall see what
Massachusetts, will do about it. The facts
are a. follows:
There are l07 voting pecincts in the city
of Boston. The law requires that, before
the first of October the Mayor "shall with
the approval of the Board of Aldermen,
appoint for each voting precinct one War
den. one Deputy Warden, one Clerk, one
Deputy Clerk, two Inspectors. and two
Deputy Inspectors, qualified voters in the
ward of which each precinct forms part.
who shall be men of good repute and
standing, and shall equally represent each
Of the two leading political parties" 1t
has been the uniform usage Of the Mayors
who have preceded Mayor Palmer to dis
regard their own political associations in
the discharge of this duty, and appoint a
list made up equally and impartially from
members Of the two political parties.
Mayor Pierce. republican and Mayors
Prince and Green, democrats. all gave
to this wholesome rule of non-parti-
san administration of the election laws
the weight Of their example. But
Mayor Palmer has taken very differ
ent course. Lists were handed to him as
usual by the respective committees Of the
two parties. 1t was found upon examina-
ton that the Mayor had substituted 81
new names of alleged republicans for the
same number that had been on the list
given him by the republican committee.
and these we're pushed through the board
of aldermen against the remonstrances Of
republican members who had no oppor-
tunity for examination.
Investigation by reporters of the Boston
Journal shows that of the 81 election Off
GERS appointed by Mayor Palmer, in place
of an equal number named by the republi-
can city committee, only a very small
proportion are genuine republicans. of
AZ men substituted in five of the wards
only eight are found to be respectable
republicans, while fourteen are democrats,
eleven are doubtful, three are classed as
Butler republicans. and six are unknown
TO prominent gentlemen who live in
those wards. OF those not republi-
cans five are given very bad charac-
tiers by respectable members of
each party. One of the men appointed to
succeed republican. and, who according
to law. ought to be republican is an old
New Hampshire Copperhead. whose dem
ocracy is so rank that he would not vote
for man who ever was republican, and
for that reason will not vote for either
Butler or Palmer.
The old gang of ward strikers, under
the guidance of Bill" Simmons, noted
wi,e-puller, have been employed where
ever it has been possible. Never since
Boston was a city. has there been known
such disreputable piece of partizanship.
The Butler managers have become des-
perate, and will leave no stone unturned
to secure his return to the Office he has
disgraced. To show Palmer's trickery,
1t may also be said that when the warden,
clerk and inspector are present the depu-
ties are powerless. and have absolutely
no duties 10 perform. Knowing this,
Palmer appointed to these offices well
known Butler men. and the republicans
in many cases will be lookers-on, power
less to prevent fraud on the part of Buffers
agents.