The morning call., 1893-03-06
THE REcOUNTS.

a contemporary which has steadily op-
posed the Australian ballot act finds in the
TecOunts that have been held since the re-
suit OF the November election was officially
declared a new argument against the
act But it should be remembered that
up 10 the present time the act has
been administered By its enemies. With
a law providing for q NOn-Partisan
Election Commission and one limiting the
amount Of money that may be lawfully
expended in a campaign. the present irreg-
Ularities will disappear. The Heyer- Dun
don recount forced unUelcome conclusions
upon the people. Heyer had been declared
elected by 20 votes. de was not a man in
whom the Republican bosses took any in
terest. His career in the last Board OF
Supervisors was that OF an independent and
Honorable man. During the campaign he
was not in a position, if be had been dis
posed, TO promote his election by fraud.
Dundon, his opponent accepted the result
with equanimity. The Democratic bosses,
however, insisted upon a recount and Dun
don by rll-j y5risy- IF 90. uvr
Heyer happen 10 have III votes counted for
him that he was not entitled to?
This question acquires the greater force
from the surprising changes in the Read
Glynn recount. Recorder Read was n0mi-
mated by the Republican convention and by
other conventions. He stood well With the
Republican bosses and there was every
~aaso, IN tnn4--- 81 - OEC5t5 WOulu
- I5oted after. The party that originally
nominated him composed the Board Of Elec-
ton Commissioners, and it was fair TO pre-
sumo that the Commissioners would not
select election officers who would purposely
count a candidate Of heir party out. But a
recount of a very incon siderable proportion
Of the vote shows a gain for Read If one
fifth Of the majority recorded against him.
If his ratio of gain continues he viii be de-
clared elected by larger majority than
was scored against him by the official can
vas.
1t is impossible not to regard these changes
with considerable apprehension. How did
Heyer. who had no friends in the election
boards, happen to be counted ahead Of his
vote. while Read. with less political friends
in control, was so badly cheated2 No one
wishes TO believe that the ballots were tam
pered with while in the custody Of the Regis
trar.. And yet 1t looks that way. There were
watchers Of course, but watchers do not
always watch. There was a safe conf ina-
ticn which was SO easy of comprehension
that young man claims to have caught 1t
by seeing the safe unlocked two or three
times. 1t does not so much matter who is
Recorder as that the Office shall be held by
man who received the largest number of
votes. The Assembly has taken a step in
the direction of clearing up election affairs
by The passage of the bill creating a Board
Of NOn-Pariisan Election Commissioners.
The trouble last November lay in The selec-
ton of persons urged by the respective
County Committees of the two national
parties. The standard observed was not
Integrity or capacity, but willingness TO
observe the bosses. With Non-Partisan
Board Of Election Commissioners of the
character either the late Mayor Sanderson
or Mayor Ebert would appoint the funny
= business, which affords our contemporary
so much satisfaction. will cease.