Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-11-10
A PETULANT PAPER.

After nearly all such heated political
contests as that through which the State
has just passed, charges Of fraud are made.
Where there is close vote this is to be
expected Nor should it alarm any one,
or be received as "a mere matter of
course" 1t indicates watchfulness of the
ballot, and a determination to demand and
enforce rights. The charges themselves
may or not be absurd they may or not be
tricks Of politicians to avert public atten-
ton from failure. However that may be,
the sentiment of fair play prevails among
The American people as among no others.
They are notably an investigating class.
Whenever it is alleged that any one has
been deprived of right, the American
disposition is to stop and hear the case.
The laws provide for these cases of con-
test; they specify just how investigation
into the alleged election frauds may be
prosecuted. If any citizen sees fit to de-
mand recount of vote, it is his right
under the law, and while we may believe
it to be impolitic, useless and without suf-
ficient basis, let us not forget that the de-
mand rests upon precisely the same founda-
ton as the right of the person elected to
demand the Office.
Abuse, therefore, of any elector who de-
mands recount is unjust, since he does
that to which the law entities him. The
San Francisco Examiner of Monday in a
very ungracious and snarling article de-
nounces the charges Of fraud made, and
assails those who demand a recount in San
Francisco as dishonest. 1t couples with
its i'll temper expressions that must be
construed to be threats. They are harm
less and amusing, but nevertheless deserve
rebuke. The Examiner says: do they
imagine that having won the election the
Democrats will surrender its fruits to Re-
publican jobs and conspiracies? If so,
they may hasten to get rid of that delu-
sion. The election is Democratic by fair
and honest vote, and we mean to have
every Office the people have given us,
There is nothing on earth more certain
than this resolve, or more unalterable"
The error of the Examiner in this bit of
buster is in the assumption that it has
been as yet determined that "the election
is Democratic" There is no determine
ton Of that matter until the legal declar-
alton of the result is made Newspaper
reports are not legal advices Until the
conclusion demanded by law is reached,
the election is not completed. Two great
steps have been taken-.he calling of the
election and the casting and counting of
the ballots in precincts. But there remain
two other material steps to be taken-the
canvassing of the returns by the higher
authority and the aggregation of the pre-
cinct totals. When this is done legal
conclusion is reached, and, subsequent to
that, the law provides, any elector may
demand and have review of the ballots.
That this is a wise provision has been de-
terrnined by this people in their repre-
sentative capacity. When, therefore, the
EcGmiaer, with objectionable heat, says
" We mean to have every Office the people
have given III" it imputes a desire on the
part of its political opponents to prevent
Democrats from taking offices to which
they have been elected So far as it APP
plies this expression to the Republican
party, it is libelious and mean, but entirely
in keeping with the character Of the Err
omiRer. We do not believe that any can
didate upon the Republican ticket wants
any Office stripped from another, that he
may enjoy it, by any unfair means, or by
any means at all not justified by the laws
of the land.
If as the Eraasincr AYERS, the Democratic
candidates have been fairly and honestly
chosen, it should have no fear Of re-
count: if any have been read in by CHI
cane and false tallying, that paper should
be the first to demand the disclosure of the
fact. If it means by its ambiguous
threat that it proposes to stand for the
newspaper returns, and advise seizure on
that basis, no matter what the official
count or recount may show, it simply
makes an exhibition of its folly, and will
become the laughing stock of a law-abid-
ing people We have not advised re-
counting We do not know as yet what the
official aggregation of the votes will show.
AS a rule recounting has no favor with us,
but we can readily conceive of cases where