The record-union., 1892-02-06
ERRONEOUS PROPOSITION ABOUT
THE COMING ELECTION.

Word comes that the City Auditor, who
is ex officio City Clerk, holds that So
called nominations by an organization
known as the Citizens Association are
properly made, and therefore he must
place them upon the official ballot. That
this is error there can be no manner of
doubt, and that it invades vital prin-
ciple of the reform ballot law is certain.
The RECORD-UNIoN, in referring to this
matter, must be understood distinctly as
not considering it in any sense for or
against the Citizens Association, or that
it takes the purposes or aims of that asso-
citation into any account in this article.
1t is concerned now only in the preserva-
ton of the integrity of the ballot law, and
1t viii at all times enter its emphatic pro-
test against any invasion Of it, no matter
what party, club, candidate or association
is involved.
II Auditor Young proposes to put the
nominees of the Citizens Association
upon the official ballot, he proposes to
disobey the law, and to break down the
barrier and guard provided for the per-
petuity and integrity of the law. His
ruling will, if followed, make of the law
driveling farce. Against any such
wrecking the power of the courts must,
If necessary, be invoked. But we are
confident that when the Auditors atten-
ton is drawn sharply to the reasons for
our conclusion he will Withdraw his rul-
ing, for we refuse to believe that he will
fatty and willfully violate the law he is
obligated to uphold.
The points we make are, first, that the
Citizens Association is not a convention
within the meaning Of the law, but club
or society; that, if it's nominations are
placed upon the official ballot the pre-
cedent opens the door to overlooking the
ballot with host of club or association
nominations upon the thinnest of pre-
lenses, and thus compelling the prepara-
ton of ballot that will disgust the peo-
pie, and practically wreck the machinery
of election. Second,,if the association is
convention of a party it did not cast
three per cent. of the city vote in Decem-
ber necessary to entitle it to recognition
on the official ballot.
Now to prove these two propositions is
very simple task: The law defines a
convention to be an organized assem-
blage of delegates representing political
party" etc. The Citizens Association is
not political party. But if that propo-
sition is contested, then it is not COM
posed of ''deLegdtes'' representing polit-
ical party. 1t is club of citizens meet
ing privately to consider economies and
to promote what it holds to be the best
interests of the community. Delegates
are not chosen to it from political or
other body; it represents only its own
membership.
The words of the law must be taken in
their common and accepted meaning.
ga delegate says Webster, is zone sent
and empowered to act for another; dep
uty; a person sent to a convention for the
nomination of officers" etc., etc. ga
convention" says the same authority,
is IAN assemblage of delegates" etc. A
party" says Webster, is especially one
of the parts into which a people is di-
vided on questions of public policy"
But coupled with the words quoted
from the law is provision that is alone
conclusive of the whole matter, to wit,
''an organized assemblage of delegates
representing a political party aOhich, at
the last election before the holding of the
convention, poIled at least three per cent.
of the entire vote of the political diviston
for which the nomination is made"
Now nominations to offices to be voted
for in March are for officers to be elected
by all the districts or wards as city; that
is, Trustee, Chief of Police, City Attor-
ney, etc. At the last election, held in
December, 1891, no general vote was
taken, save for Superintendent of Schools.
All the other votes were for ward or dis
trict officers, and such were not voted for
by all the people. Mr.. Albert Hart was
regularly nominated by the Republican
party. He accepted that nomination and
acted with that party. He had no oppo-
sition; his name appeared upon the Citi-
zens' advertised ticket; but his vote did
not thereby become three per cent. of the
Citizens vote, for he was not their NOM
inee, but had only their Endorsement.
If it is held otherwise then any club
however small, two, three, or four men,
mere piece clubs, can get together, in
dorse, or by forestalling, name the candi-
date of regular party in advance of
that party acting, knowing who, as in the
case of Mr.. Hart. will be nominated, and
thus such clubs can gain a footing and
proceed to any manner of cinching and
blackmailing.
Certainly no one will be found to claim
that the Citizens Association had dis
tinct candidate in the field in December.
It could not claim either Mr.. Crouch, Mr..
Sherburn, Mr.. Erlewine, or Mr.. Hantz-
man, each of whom was the nominee of
an organization indisputably political
party, and to which they each acknowl-
edged allegiance.
If it were by any occult power made