Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-11-21
najGrityr and Plurality,

hour as practicable.
ss7fajcrity', and sPIuraIify.o
Tho following inquiry comes to The STAR under
late OF the 18th:
Your decision I'm the bet between A and B. in
YESTERDAY STAR. viii hardly, L think, hold good
II candidates majority Cthe greater OF t,cO huIn-
ber5y, in a contest where there are more than two
tickets. De as YOU saw the number OF votes he re-
celve IN excess OF all the votes cast for the other
candidates. then why are the words over all'
almost invariably used In conjunction with the
word majority 10 express that result? 1t rather
SENS 10 me that the word majority In the bet
quoted, II IL means anything should be construed
In The sense OF It's synOnym-plurality. In the
courts you know, documents are frequently thrown
CuJ Cr declared OF effect Tor OF perspicuty
o. certainty. should not the bet upon which your
decision was founded share like fate?n
The terms Of the bet decided by THE STAR, to
which the correspondent refers. were as follows:
a. bets that Blaine Will not secure a majority
of-j.000 In Ohio in the presidential election. AS
summing the following hSures TO be correct, who
Blaine received 40OtS2 Butter received $40, and
~, John received II ,@69 votes"
Is VIII be noticed that the bet was simply on
Elaines majority, and not upon his '.majorty over
Cleveland if such phrase were admissible. The
terms majority" and plurality are not synony-
nous when applied To elections Both Webster
and Worcester make the distinction between the
words very clear.
Webster says:
''ln elections a plurality of votes is when one
Jnan hall OF the whole number OF votes given. IU
is thus distinguished from IA majority, which is
more than half OF the whole number
Worcester says:
- candidate. in an election receives a plurality
Of votes when he receives than any other can
didate; and he receives majority OF votes when
LC receives more than all OtherS-n
The combined piUralities of the solid democratic
congressional delegation from New York city Is
66.i72 while the electoral ticket got only 43, lSO
plurality, falling Off OF 23,3i2 votes, which may
De taken as Indicative OF the extent OF the trad
Ing done IN the interest of the local candidates on
the one side and the republican electoral ticket on
the other 1t Is hardly fair take this measure as
accurate. however, as in several districts there
Were local complications which greatly affected
the result In the sixth district, for instance
there were five candidates, and in the eighth
and eleventh no republican at all But we may,
perhaps, assume that these various eccentrlcties
balanced, leaving plurality of about 5000 IS re-
Preventative OF The normal and proper democratic
strength There is yet 10 be taken into account
the independent republican vote which was thrown
Tor Cleveland in many cases where the voter sup
ported his party nominee for Congress, and on the
other hand we must remember the disconnected
democratic vote that went Tor Blaine without bar
gains while swelling Its party'S candidates on the
congressional ticket. Thus the subject Is sur
rounded with doubts, although the congressional
figures may give clue to the real facts
Now that the campaign Is over there is great
liquidation OF lies going on. Excited statements
are revised and many are proved to be baseleSs
Thus IL Is now asserted by those who ought to
know, that various heinous offenSes laid against
The republican national committee have no found
alton. ElkinS. Jones and others who have made
post-morteIn statements, declare that there were
no dOctOrfng OF returns, no debt, save what was
assumed by members OF the committee; no funds
o. the proportions named no frauds in the vote
no understanding with Field regarding the Blaine
dinner and 10 contributions obtained from it. This
Is pretty healthy crop OF denials, but no doubt
the truth lies much nearer this negative statement
o. the case than the heated charges OF the cam
paign-
At noon to-day the New York state board OF can
vaSsers met TO take final action on the returns and
finally announce the vote. The returns from all
the county boards were received yesterday and
found 10 be correct in all but three counties and in
these cases the errors were simply clerical, and
were corrected without dispute. The labor OF veri-
ncatiOn made il impossible for the board to ascer
tain and declare the true vote yesterday, but IN
Official foOJngs, with which ft Is probable the off,
cial figures Will agree, make the plurality OF the
Cleveland electors vary from 1,0i. for Mr. Often
dOrfer TO ,229 for Mr. Fuller.
Gov. Cleveland notices the absurd and vet mis-
chevOuS delusion that his administration threatens
agent OF the Associated Press in which he declares
most emphatically that his administration Will
guard the colored race carefully in all their consti-
tuCOn4l tights The assurance was scarcely
needed, and yet, the Presdent-elect saws "there
Is not the slightest objection" to making this for
InaI and definite pledge TO all who ne at all nerv-
Gus as 70 their future, that no harm is 70 follow
change OF parties.
Two OF The stalwart contingent counted on to
unite with the democrats In the New York leg1sla
ture for the election OF Mr Conkling to the Senate
have openly denounced the SCENE as absurd and
Mr. Conkiing as traitor. 1t Is very unlikely that
enough republicans can be found to bolt the parry
caucus TO make the proposed fusion successful so
that The chance is slight OF Mr.. Conklings return
Complaint is made b. farmers coming to market
OF the fghtful condition OF the 7h street road lust
beyond BrghtwOOd- II has been left In an unf,n
shed condition. with Irregular heaps OF irnperfectly
o-oken stone In the middle, alternating with deep
TltS and mudholes, In such sort that IL is almost
impossible for loaded team. This road IS the
main line OF access for country produce seeking
market In Washington. and IL is the interest of
every consumer IN the city that this great highway
should be kept in condition TO invite rather than
repel. this large source Of food supply. The Com
miSSioners should attend TO this matter In behalf
OF the public.
The Cumberland (Md) Times, in its new hands
&essrs- Philip ". Avirett, editor and j. ]. Miller
manager-has wonderfully improved In al IL, de-
paFtments, and is gaining rapidly in circulation
and influence In consequence. Mr.. Avirett, who
l. said 10 be the youngest editor OF daily paper in
America, is son OF the Rev. DR.. Avirett rector OF
Silver Spring parish Md.
DREss GooDs.
LDTs' CLOTH sUITINa
LADIES' CLOTH PLAIDs.
4o-inch Atwood fine Cashmere. 5oc Sec. soc. Csc
sOc-, 75c ~ ~
5i-iaeh Tricot Cloth. all wool. al coiors CSC
kXtra-slze C-OclIet COunterpanes. &c
siarsei!les Quilts. $50, g. S250 So S35l
Nk'te woye fianIels lie, l5c.. lie. 20c nc, Csc
A. wool bed Twill Flsnneis, lSc. DC, Gle
Cloth Tor Boys suits. 25c. 30c.. 35r-
slSwis all WOOL 81 s2,50 81. $3.50
tEllGFeI3's Hose seams !5C and iSc-
canton llanDels 54c.. exc, g.. l1c.
Ladies ELglish Walking Coats So IS. 81 SO
IaIgtree Dress Goods. yard and quarter wide 75s
tSew Plaid Dress Goods, &c.
fest - yards wide heeting, Cotton &c
SIk BrCcaie Velvets. al coiors. SI.25
~ Cd BTOcads Velvet S2S0
lain Sllk Velvet 81 %
Lace CURTAINS seal oTed. 81. 80 pais.
Ies- Brussels Carpets. l5c-, soc, sc.
IfHralLt Carpets. 2sr. 3Dc., 35c., 45c and