The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-03-10
The Word Majority

bnrown for certain officer. IT he hat
one half of vote more than one half ii
elects him. Mr.. Kent had 594 votes.
Now, will you show me if all his oppon.
ents added together amounted to that
sum? If not. he had more than one
half"
Mr.. Strout attempted some further OK
PLANTATION.
The Court continued: t'To give all
possible Doubt won't say doubt for I
haven't any-but to give all possible
mathematical results in favor of the nom
election Of these candidates, you may
take the figures in the most favorable
way possible. and you cannot defeat
them according to my figuring.
Il may be wrong and you may be
right. but my opinion decides the case.
You may take the most favorable fig
ures possible. You may take Mr.. Howe,
who had 56S votes, the smallest number
on that side. and Offset him against Mr..
Cousens, whe had $40 and then offset the
next lowest on the Democratic side
against the next highest on tho Republic
can side and SO Ion, and then add the
highest Prohibition vote and still he is
elected
what are you going to do with your
blank ballots?' asked Mr.. Strout.
Nothing" rejoined the Judge posi-
lively, 'sblank votes are not votes for
anybody. You might as well count
them for his opponent as to count them
against him."
"But." persisted Mr.. Strout, sit has
been argued that the blank votes should
be counted d."
THAT is
A Politicians Argument
said the Judge conclusively, mot law
yer's or Judges. A blank vote cannot
be counted for anybody. The whole con-
troversy seems to turn on the meaning
of the word MAORI y, and that is we'll
settled by the courts. Majority means
more than all the rest put together.
''This is a matter of the highest impor-
lance, not only to the citizens of Portland
but to the people of the state. The fact
is the clerk has made mistake in the
law. He may have acted honestly. It
is too important matter for the inhabi-
tants of Portland to c ,vil over. If they
let these two men come in, who claim to
have been elected yesterday and take
part in the city government, they run
great risk not only in the election Of their
officers and in the management Of the
city's interests, but in the collection Of
their taxes"
T. Mr.. Strout asked if the writ of manda-
mus was to issue.
Judge Walton said he was very busy
about other matters and didn't want to
have any further bother about this case.
He said to Mr.. Strout that there was not
a shadow of doubt about the election
of the Republican candidates. The sensi-
BILE thing for the Democrats. to do would
be to instruct the ward clerk to issue
certificates to Mr.. Kent and Mr.. Lefavor.
The judge said he would adjourn until
o'clock and give Mr.. Strout time to con-
suit with his colleagues and see if they
would not conclude to take this course.
This would obviate the necessity of any
writ of mandamus and would be the
really sensible thing to do.
To this proposition there was no dis
sent and the court adjourned until
o'clock to await the decision of the
Democrats, whether they would do of
their own accord what the court would
otherwise compel them to do.
In the Afternoon.
During the afternoon the same impos-
ing array of counsel appeared on both
sides.
At the coming in of the court in the
afternoon, Mr.. Frank, on behalf of the
said:
II understand that the REALTORS have
introduced the records in evidence. Upon
consultation with our clients and the
other counsel, we do not deem it just to
our clients to admit the case which the
petitioners claim. Our position is this:
The record shows that for the Office of
common councilman in Ward 8 there
were 1907 ballots cast; that for an cleo
ton it would require a majority of the
votes cast: that so far as the record is
concerned it does not show who the OPP
ponent of any particular candidate was,
but certain number of people were
voted for; that a certain number Of can
didates received certain number of
votes: that one of the candidates re-
ceived majority of the votes cast for
common councilmen but the other two
candidates did not receive a majority of
the votes cast and were not therefore
legally elected. Such was the return and
such was the declaration at the ELECTION.
At an adjournment of that meeting ma
jority was thrown for che two other
officers and a certificate was duly issued
to them of their election. Now for want
y