New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-16

,rarrAs CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRrBuSr.
r' Nov. Ex-senator SaNton, of Clyde.
A A.hor Of the Saxton Ralot-Reform law, said
We 20. Tr;bune correspondent yesterday that on
70 ~. s.. dav that the Legislature meets in
tf ' no should introduce an amendment 70
Jsn"s's nrovidipr for blanket ballot; another
ns' ding the Corrupt-Practces act with
Dill - - compelling political committees TO state
Fo''ss~u,, in what manner they use the CAM
ss'u'. .,rds intrusted to them, and for second
pa'fa ,~orosed amendment to the Constitution
un' ling 70 the courts the decision upon con-
- election cases, such as contests OF sea's III
me I.,isl.tue. The amendment to the Consti-
..,,on providing that the courts snail decioe con-
"as, sIact,on cases was approved by the Legs-
,1,'r. Of 1891, and only needs to De approved
h", +he LEGISLATURE Of 1so2 to come before
n. pecplc for their action,
m a,,sunts OF the Democratic Boards of
e...-v;sors Of Columbia, Dutchess, Rensselaer,
sur a.r. and Stcuben counties TO count out
n.,rhrcap Senators-elect-peane, who has piu-
NV Of 70; Derby, who has plurality OF olo'
~ who has plurality OF $685.
"a Sherwood who has plurality OF l,ooo Votes
-. rilful misinterprctation OF the Bailo-he-
,.-. Act have naturally attracted the attention
. Senator Saxton. Il notice., sald me- the
,.,ne-s,e efforts of the Democrats, unoer MT.
Wrs leadership, TO pervert certain features Oh
-. pallot Reform Act 10 the basest uses 1hey
..,r almost exclusively, in their varous plots
- aspriye Republican Senators-elect OF their GER
.,s..,ss of election, and to give them to Demo
ETC candidates who received less number OF
''.,.s unon Section 81 Of the Ballot-Reform Act
=, ,m.nded the present year The amendment
- as follows" Here Mr. SaXton opened the
Session Laws of 1891" and read what is given
below:
-, .r,Aorl,sd watcher shall during a canvass Of the
,rDsslatalv after the completion thereof. declare
w. h.l,.t vs, any particular ballot or paster ohxed
,,, has been written upon or marked In anv way Win
,h eot that the may be identlhed the inspectors
au wrb their on the back Thereon ana ataeh IL
hs original certificate OF canvass, and include in said
,,s,,,s statement OF the specific grounds upon which
"a. VALIDITY Of such ballot IS questioned When the Voes
s-. "a he estimated and the result declared by board
a, county, eanyassers other officers performing similar
S.s arch hoard or officers shall mention separately
n tho statement or certificate OF canvass the number OF
votes thus questioned which were cast for each candidate
ga e srelhe grounds upon which the same are claimed
"a b4 invalid as forh in the original certhcate OF
canvass Such ballots shal be counted IN estimauhg
e result Of an election but within thirty Gays aief
%. hng az the certificate declaring such result wit
4
A hoar n, eanyassers or officers acting such board
bv whom the ballots were counted. the application
Of say candidate voted for at the election 10 require
recount Of the aud all questions relating 10 uie
validity Of suhh ballots and as to whether they were
prrry counted shall be determined in such proceeding
An such ballots shall be preserved for at least one wear
and until the questions raised by such wit shall be finally
dse mined. Election boards and boards of canvassers
shall be continued existence for the purposes OF such
proceedings.
Then Mr.. SaXton continued his comments
THE only power given under that provision Is
to preserve ballots apparently marked for ldenu-
fcation There is no power in the board to re-
fuse TO count them. They must be counted unless
court after judicial investigation, pronounces
them void The Boards of Canvassers cannot
rfuse to couIS ballots simply because they are
Irregular or because of errors made by elecuon
osicers. 50 long as the will of the voter can DC
sscertained with reasonable certainty. The great
merit Of our New-York election law has been that
the election returns could not be altered. "hen
Mr. Blaine and Mr.. Cleveland were almost tied
for the Presidency in 1884 in this Sta'e' "hen
ttsre WAS only 1000 votes difference between
these two candidates, the people restea SECURE III
The belief that the result announced by the eiec-
ton officers upon election night cOuld hoO no
changed by any board of election oflcers' inc
Democratic Boards of Supervisors, therelore' III
attempting TO change the election returns upon
Senator's and Assemblymen, using the amenuiiienO
Of the Ballot-Reform law as preteX'' are hi"A'
Ing most dangerous precedent
What is your opinion of the declarauioh VI
the Democrats that they will have secretary y,
State Rice. Controller Wemple, Attorney y-"eheiai
Tabor, State Treasurer Danforth, ana oUu" LII
gneer BOgart as the State Board OF o''hNdSS'i0'
refuse TO grant certificate of election 10 rams
lin D. Sherwood, Republican Senator-elec'' on 'ne
ground that he is ineligible, as he Is farN Ooii
missioner Of Hornellsville?"
If the State Board of Canvassers refuse 10
issue certificate Of election to MI. ohel"oou'
their action will be gross outrage upon the "a"
and popular rights All that the State Boafu ol
Canvassers are empowered to do IS 70 examine UI0
Official statements made 70 them by the boarus
Of dSupervSOrs as to the number oil votes fecelNou
By the several candidates for Office IN oeha"
Districts, and then to give the certificate ol eiec
ton 10 the man who received the largest hunioei
Of votes Section POS of the Election Code SAYS
that upon the statements made by the Dodros
Supervisors, the State Board OF CanVaseeIs
shall then proceed 10 determine and declare what
Prisons have been. by the greatest numDH oi
Votes duly elected There is no authority gwen
'hem 70 Judge OF the englohlty OIL d caiuiu"'N'
lhat is expressly conferred upon the Legislature
W Scticn 10 of Article III of the Consutu'loh'
which says that each House of the Legislature
SHALL determine the rules of its own proceedings
sno Dc a Judge of the elections, returns ana quan-
hesuons Of its own members
80 that the Senate itself is the only Judge as
" the eligibility of Nr. Sherwood ?"
Certainly and always has been the Judge IN
'eeah 10 the qualifications Of its members. 1
Ssh be snazed if the State Board of CanvasserS
saempts to use the authority of the Legislature
this matter"
DO you intend to offer any amendments TO
"ar BalotReform law"
=, les; ! shall introduce blanket-ballot Dill
u' hfst day Of the session of the Legislature. IL
os 10 me that the recent elections make IL
,'ioent that honest elections and honest election
are the great issues of the day. The Bailot