St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-04-03
IT WAS CKECKMATE.
Council Neatly Nips a Repub-
liean Election Judge
Scheme.
What the New Law Requires
in the Choice Of the
Judges.
The Alliance, With Third
Highest Vote, Gets It's
Share.
Prohibitionists Must Wait
Until Their Strength
Grows.

The Judges of election were chosen
by the city council at special session
held yesterday afternoon. The meeting
was called by Mayor Smith at the re-
quest of the Republican members. The
object was merely to submit the names
of citizens recommended to serve as
judges in the coming municipal cleo
ton. This plan developed as the meet
ing of the board of aldermen progressed.
The provisions of the revised Australian
system of voting make radical change
from the old regime in selecting Judges
They place the choice absolutely in the
hands of the dominant political parties,
and give the organizations. to be more
specific, that cast the major vote, the
right to designate who shall serve in the
judgeship capacity. the party polling
the largest vote having first say, and SO
on to the third Judge to be elected. and
the council is obliged to name the men
selected after this fashion. 10 make the
point plain the law is quoted;
How Judges Are Chosen.
Sec S. AT least thirty days before any
election, the local city or village committees
Of the several parties participating al the last
preceding election may furnish TO The city
council, or other appointing authorities,
list of qualified electors for the various cleo
ton districts to act as judges OF eiecuon:
which lists Shall be certified to bg the several
secretaries of such committees. Said Judges
of election shall be selected from the lists SO
submitted in the following manner:
One for each election district from each or
said lists SO recommended by the said differ
ent parties; the first to be selected from the
list submitted by the party polling the largest
number of votes in said city or village at the
last preceding general election: the second
from the list submitted by the party polling
the second largest number or votes at the
last preceding general election; the third
from the list submitted by the party polling
the third largest number of votes at the last
preceding general election: and i'll case there
are not three lists submitted to Such councli.
or other appointing authorities, then said
council, or other appointing authorities, snail
select one from each list submitted as above
provided, and said council or olher appoint
ing authorities shall themselves select the re-
manning judge or judges, but III no case shall
more than two OF Such Judges DelonS 10 lhe
same political party.
1t was apparent to the disinterested
spectator of Yesterdays session that it
was not anticipated on the part OF the
Republican members of the board that
the Democratic members would be pres
ent with a familiar knowledge with the
provisions Just given. The Democratic
city committee had presented list OF
names to be chosen from, and the Re
publican city committee had presented
two names for each election district Ill
the city. And then came Prohibition
party list and a Farmers Alliance list.
Thereby hangs tale"
The scheme
was to have Democrat, Republican
ond q DrnhihifiOAiSt annOlDtpH in each
district, but the Democratic members OF
the board disagreed with the position
assumed by the Republican aldermen.
They questioned the priority OF right
that the Republicans were disposed to
accord the Prohibition candidates for
appointment as judges, and Aid. Gehan
checkmated Aid. SanbOrH by Introducing
an ordinance naming one DemOcrat,on
Republican and one Farmers Alli-
ance Judge of election in each
district. This had no sooner
been presented than Aid. Sanborn
moved to postpone further action until
the next regular meeting Of the board,
but Aid. Gehan would not listen to this
proposition. He insisted upon summary
action, and he argued that the provisions
of the law had been strictly complied
with, and there was no valid excuse for
the proposed delay. he cOnSluereu IL
merely piece of tilibustering that the
Democratic councilnen were not bound
to respect. you are very foxy" he
said, loosely, to Aid. Sanborn, ''but l
see through your scheme. 1t is simply
plan to ring in some prohibitionists;"
It was then shown that the Alli-
ance ticket polled much larger
vote at the last election than
the Prohibition ticket did, and the cor
poration attorney gave the opinion that
the council had no option in the matter
They were forced to appoint the men
presented by the Alliance committee.
Aid. Sanborn explained that under the
circumstances this was right, but he
still wanted a postponement, but his
motion was voted down Oh a party vote,
and the ordinance was passed. Then
the ordinance designating the different
polling places as recently published in
the GLOBE was also passed and the as
sembly took its turn at the two meas
ures. There was not word OF dissent
in this body. The ordinances were
passed, and the following gentleman
will serve as judges OF election:
First Ward.