Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-11-12
Election Returns.

we met MIR. LOOMS last Saturday
IN the Washington Springs hotel when
the following conversation took place
us nearly as we can recall. "When will
the boart; canvass the election returns {?
"wednesday" Can we get an abstract
OF the votes before that timer" No, !
have none" WAS there none made
out when the returns came IN? o.
There was one made out, of the prin-
clpal officers from reports brought IN
by different ones" Could | get a
copy Of that?" Il don't know whether
you can or not. The last | knew of it
Ransom had it over to the store
Cant there be one made out from
The returns in your Officer" Il do not
believe | have any right to open the
returns until the board meets.
st understand that you did open some
ct the returns on Wednesday," u did
open the envelope from one Township
for Spears, to relieve his anxiety"
IF you opened one could you not
have opened ALL 81 could i'll had
wanted to-"
He acts as sur. over the election
as a dog with a stolen bone. What is
there in the election returns that
makes him so cross and rabid? Is there
a" Niggar in the fance2' Have the
grapes turned sour? Or is the law a.
variance with his IDEAS of political
trickery? The following is an extract
from the election laws. Chapter ~,
Sec. 20 reads thu,
The Judges Of election shall then
enclose and seal one OF the poll books,
and, under cover, direct the sameto the
county clerk OF the county IN which
such election Wa held, and the packet
thus sealed shall De conveyed by one of
the Judges Or CLERKS OF election, to be
determined by let ii they cannot other
wise agree, orby some other person to
be agreed upon by the Judges, and
delivered to sai county clerk, at his
Office, within three days after the clos
ing OF the polls, and the other poll
book, together with the ballots and
ballot box, deposited with the chairman
of the board OF CO. Com missioners, and
thesaid poll book shall be subject to
at any time thereafter
It is plain from the above that one
poll book from each township is to be
open to inspection. If LOOMS did not
believe he had a right to open the
sealed poll books addressed to him
why did he dc 1t? Why did he violate
the plain provisions of the statutes +?
Why did he trample upon and violate
both the law and his conscience?
There was a fragrant dereliction Of
duty on the part of some one when
the ''other poll book, the ballots and
ballot box" were deposited with the
county clerk instead Of the chairman
Of the board OF county commissioners.
Either Mr.. Sullivan shonld haze been
at the county seat, to receive the
returns belonging to him or the carri-
ers should have taken them to aim at
his home. It Z the design Of the
law that a. / books, ballots and
boxes should fall into the hands Of one
man, eiae WI rould it not reao |
ali the books ballots and boxes shall
be deposited Wit. the county clerk.
TIE Farmer and his County Paper
The Iowa Il cmestead, out OF the full
ness Of it's knowledge of the subject,
gives its readers some Information and
some advice. as to their duty to theil
county paper
We do not believe as a rule you
-lti.er do them the good you ought nor
receive the benefit yo4 might easily
receive. Iou think &l5o az So. Pc
yaar is too much for Il county paper,
and ask why they cannot compete
with the weekly editions OF the dallies
in the large cities. We VIII tell you
why.
ra,,o,-onf.I,7 rbaF has daily edition IS