Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1892-12-02
SELF Precinct Thrown Out on Tech
n~icalities by the Election Can
wasting Board,
Electing Pitts Treasurer Instead of
Lee and Parker States Attorney
Instead of Lynn.
Sixty-Eight Democratic and Three
Republican Votes Thrown Out
in Precinct Named.
The Courts Will Be Appealed To,

The Courts Will BE Appealed To.
EDITOR BISMARCK TRIBUNE: The
sequel to the attempt to buy the Russian
vote took place to-day. SELF precinct
with more votes than any other precinct
in the county, was thrown out on tech
nicalities, thereby giving certificates of
election to J. G. Pitts for treasurer in
stead of T. P. Lee, and John Parker for
states attorney instead Of George Lynn.
Messrs. Lee and Lynn had received a
majority of the votes and we're fairly and
squarely elected. The returning board
consisted of Commissioners Van Beck
and Campbell and Justice A. M. Weller
all strong partisans of the two candi-
dates in whose interest the precinct was
thrown out.
The basis for the action taken we're
afidavits by three persons that there
were technical irregularities in the
manner of conducting the election IN
SELF township. It was not claimed that
a single vote was counted otherwise
than as the voter desired it to be
counted.
This throwing out of a precinct which
was first sought to be bought, but un-
successfully, receives the condemnation
of every honest republican as we'll as
democrat in this county. The action
taken was entirely of the 'snap judy
ment" order, as no opportunity was
given for the procuring of counter
afidavits, and only the evidence of one
side was heard. Furthermore, in half
the precincts of the county the letter of
the Australian law was not complied
with, in some instances the polls not
being opened until after 10 o'clock, when
the law expressly declares that they
shall open at 8 a. m.
Prosecutions are about to begin
against the men who Contributed"
$3.50 for a church in the Russian-Ger-
man sediment, asking only seventy-five
votes in exchange therefor. Mr.. Lynn,
the fairly elected states attorney does
not belong to the same faction that the
men who paid the money train with.
Hence the "whyness of the wherefore"
There we're sixty-eight democratic and
three republican votes thrown out in
the precinct named.
The gentlemen whose majorities were
so quickly overcome by the returning
board will seek the aid of the courts to
compel said board to do their duty and
count the votes according to the returns
as they we're cast.
If three men-all bitter political op.
ponents of the candidates losing by their
action-shall be allowed to overcome the
will of the voters of a precinct, on two
OF three one-sided affidavits, what is the
use of holding elections in future in this
county? If canvassing board is to
assume Judicial power, and throw out
precincts where the returns are regular
on their face, what assurance has any
candidate who may in future receive a
majority of votes in this county that a
hostile board will not find something in
some precinct which, sin their judg-
ment" should cause enough votes to be
thrown out to give the certificate of
election to the man who received the
lesser number of votes?
The people of Emmons county elected
Lynn and Lee as states attorney and
treasurer. But it seems that Vanderbilt
was not the only n whose regard for
popular rights is expressed in the re-
mark, "The people be d--dw
Respectfully,
D. r. STREETER,
Williamsport, N. D., Nov. %, 1892.