The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1886-10-17
IN THE POLITICAL FIELD.
THE EVIDENCE BEFORE THE COUNTY
COMMITTEE.


II All the Primaries from which Pro-
tests came had been Thrown Out,
Edwards would still have had a Ma
0r1ty Of 10.
With a view eff renewing what doubts
some conscientious voters may have had as
to the methods at the primaries at which
delegates to the Democratic County Con-
vention were elected, reporters Of The
SUNDAY MORNING NEWS were instructed
last week to make careful inquiry into the
matter. The arst fact about which the re-
porter satisfied himself was that the State
law for the regulation of political pri-
maiies was strictly adhered to. The State
law does not require that any party having
= ticket at the primary shall be admitted
the inside Of the polling place while the
voting is in progress, but assures the right
such admission when the counting Of
the ballots begins. In all the polling
places Mayer Clsveland's adherents had
this privilege accorded them.
The first protest hssrd was that from
"Ben" Manning's precinct, in the First
Assembly District. The case made for the
County Committee rested mainly upon
Mr.. Manning's testimony that, while he
saw but 1926 vstes Polled, there were 1856
counted. But the valve of this evidence
was destroyed by the proof that he was not
present to keep a tally during all the time
the voting was in progress. A second i'm
portant fact elected to help the County
Committee to its conclusion was that emily
80 votes were cast for the Cleveland dei-
egates. So that, even admitting that tho
60 extra ballots were put into the box
in Edwards intersst-aRd it is quite as
IN hot haxz axqrrk -,
the interest of his oppeAeat-the Edwards
delegates had, on the basis of 1926 Votes. a
clean majority of LAG votes. AS his del
egates had majority in either view of the
case, the County Committee did right in
refusing to order new primary. There is
no question that the judges who oficiated
were regularly in their places. Not a siagle
vote was challenged, and the Cleveland
ticket had two men against the box all the
time, while not q man was there to pro-
tect the interests of his rival.
In Norton's precinct, in the Second Dis
trict, the properly appointed Judges of
Election provided the ballst-box, as they
are directed to do by law. They offered
to allow the Norton party to have two in
spectors inside the polling place; but the
effsr was declined, and Merton got box
and set up little primary of his ewn.
= 4Ao JuukC6 ~ tA0 1NOIbOn DO4 M1I6 LOU
swerB. No man was there to watch the
vsting: and, as matter Of fact. voters de-
posted their ballots in both boxes. There
seems to be no reason whatever to have or
dered new primary there, and it was
very properly refused.
In the Seventh District the Cleveland
party made no fight at all. There was no
attempt on their part to poll their ticket
there. Ne ticket was refused at any Of
the polling places, and no one was denied
the privilege of voting.
In Toner'S precinct, in the Fourth Dis
trict, there was a fight. The evidence
showed that the Cleveland ticket had the
most votes, and ths credentials were given
to his delegates. In Priggs's precinct, in
the same district, there was cenfict of
testimony. The County Committee could
not make up their mind who won, and
they divided the one vete in dispute be-
tween the two rivals.
The County Committee could well have
ordered primaries in these several pre-
cincts Without disturbing Edwards's ma
jority. MIR. Edwards had, On the rsll-ca
IN the Convention, total Of III votes.
Take from these now, if yen please, the z
votes involved in the First District dispute,
and the in the Second, and the half vote
In the Fourth, and-yes, if you Hke-the
8 in the Seventh. There are 164 Votes. De-
duct them from Edvards's vote in the Con-
vsntioA, and he wsuld still have had SO
lett-a clean, undisputed majority of 10.
This fact alene must put an end to the
most captious of the caviling as to the
methods and results of the pimaries. The
statements that have been made as to the
reasons for the action of the County Gem
mittse on the protests show that that body
could net well have dsne otherwise than as
it did.