Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-11-14
thc elections in Montana for The RepublI.

tho etectionS IN montana TOT tne hcpuph-
cans.
Mr.. HARRISON had just as much right TO
manipulate the election returns for Cover
nor of Montana az 10 manipulate the cleo
ton returns for members of the Montana
Legislature. The votes In both eases were
cast by the voters Of Territory, under
laws made for Territory, and all the
elections and election returns ought to
have been left in the hands Of the Terri
torial officers until after the elections
were over and the election returns can
vssscd and duly certified by Territorial
officials. Mr.. MCKINNEY has just as much
right to come TO Richmond next Monday
week and canvass the returns OF his own
election as Mr.. HARRISON had 10 usurp the
powers properly belonging TO the Ierri-
torial officers. Nay, Mr.. McKrSNEY has as
much right to take Governor LEES place q
month before his term expires.
We are glad to see that the papers OF the
country have turned their attention to TINS
subject. They will, we hope, make 1t hot
for the President. The Louisville Courier
Journal warns" the men IN Montanawno
set the wheels of fraud in motion, ana
fixed things" so that the President couid
c0nsummate the crime. That paper says;
"The circumstances attending the attempt 70
steal the Montana Legislature show depth on
official depraviiy that rivals the emlnehee
reached by the infamous Louisiana heturnlns
Board OF 1876 The Republican Ouicials con-
cerned in tho conspiracy have halted at nothing
that was necessary for perfecting tue larceny
on the ono hand refusing 70 DO their sworn uuiy,
and on the other usurping powers when 'ho'
lacked under the law" ,
Nfhe state Board o; Canyassers was composer
OF RonjRmin r. White, Governors hehIF M
Blake, Chief Justice. and Louis a. Naikei, 20
creiary OF the Territory OF Monianamen 'itoo
RppOiniees Of President Harri2op. Nheh VIZ,
met TO canvass ne vote cast in the IofrltoI W
was not Yet State-they claimed WAT mere
we're no properly certified returns IRON olNoI
How county before them. Ihcy fUrther 81! IN
their official certificate that they sent specla,
messenger 10 the clerk OF ths' county 10 ocinhuu
tho returns: that the clerk refused 20 give tne,n
and that they we're therefore compelled 70 escet-
tain the vote NJ the county from tho Des' III
formation Obtanable.
"Tne material portions OF this statement are
wholly false. Mr. Charles T. Booth, the county
clerk a. Silver Bow, furnished ali ibe record tia
there wBs Ia his Office. no only refused 10 lui,
nish a oOOked-up return such as the Stale boaiu
desired An tho facts were certified 10 me stale
Board-that two out Of three Of the county can.
vassers had refused % cOuns the vote OF pfeclut'
No 81 that before the completion OF the az
styacis the District Court had ordered the Couh'
- Board 20 count the vote OF said r0cncl, or az
ponr and show cause why they should mol on
November It'll; that no cause had been shoWn'
and vet the vote had not boon counted, ana tuat,
therefore. the abstracts were not complete. VI.
Booths certificate showed the whole vote OF tIo
county by precincts, including that OF mo Ihh'y-
fourth precinct ~
ct thus appears that the returns from Silver
Bow county we're technically incomplete. ~ KING
the signatures Of the county canyasseI% II
fl.sal nsr IA HNftt41
lection, tho board would have been Obliged 20
throw out the whole county THIS, however
would not have effected tho purposes OF the con-
sptratOrs. Jniess they counted SilYor bow
county for the Republicans, they could nol con
troll the Legislature AS a preteXt Tor dong thls'
after recitlng tho falsenOods menlOnei hposo'
and also the fact that they had before them lhe
certificate Of Clerk Booth showing tho numbef Oh
votes cast in every precinct Of the county, they
say: We conclude that the true result az can
ya-sed aud declared must be lound ny eilInl-
mating from the list Of yoies cast az certihel Dy
County-Clerk Booth The vote OF precinct So; ana
this they proceeded 20 do ,.
count the vote OF silver bow county IRON mo
best information Ottains0lc.' they had before
them ample information 10 enable thon 10
count 10 right The court having jurisdiction
bad decided the rejection Of Precinct 81 nun
and voi1, and that decision was unfeVersen
True. there Was an appeal, but the state Board
insisted on giving It's decision before the appear
was decided. However, the question was hot an
open one. II had been decided years DelOre ny
The supreme Court of The Territory, fact wen
EnOwn 10 Chei-Justice Blake ana his Cocoon
eriratOrs. II was wholly without !nsuhoatlph 10
base their OF ial action upon the void actioh OF
the liver Bow canyassers IN throwing out IRE
cnct No. 81"
"1his decision covers the whole case and de-
monstra,es the utterly Iawless characterot me
proceedings. both Of tho state Board ana OF the
Republican members forming the majority OF
tue board OF Silver Row county"
"IUe state Board. % perfect tne Stb7ls Ncto
guilty OF another act Of usurpaticn. Iuey ls-
sued certificates OF election 20 the defeated re-
publican candidates for the Legislature IA Nilyer
Bow county, though the law requires these GER
tidcates TO boz issued by the county clerk. aud the
latter ha1 actually issued them 10 the candidates
elected. This usurpaiiOn was not The result "i
ignorance, Tor Chiei-Justice Blake. one OF me
Stato Board. mad few days before issued writ
OF mandamus 10 compel the county clerk OF
Jelersc county TO give such certificates 10 The
lcgis!0tOrs-elcct In that county"