Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-03-10
The Recount I'm Bath.
oath News.)


1t was very generally conceded through
out the county that the last congressional
election held here, In the fall, was as fair
a one as the people have ever known. II
is not denied that many or the voters
failed, in ways more than one, TO have
their votes counted for their favorite can
didste. This was natural effect, seeing
that the law was a new venture or It's
kind in this State. But so far as the
officers to whose supervision was en-
trusted the management Of the law are
concerned, few would be found to ques-
ton their attempted fair dealing to both
and all political parties. The larger por-
| ton of the election officers were OF Demo-
pledged to the conduct Of the principles
to which they held. Full proof OF their
honesty and OF the claim that in the
conduct OF their imposed duties partisan
ship was laid aside. Is patent upon COM
parison between the first count and that
made last week. The former gave Mr..
Tucker a majority OF A. The latter, taken
In the presence OF the contestant himself
and with his full acquiecence places MI.
Tucker 10 votes ahead OF the hrst Maori
ty. We are now speaking only Of the
ballots designated as perfect in an
other column. The Republican officers
were, no doubt. fully as honorable as
their friends, the enemy, the difference
consisting in the fact that circumstances
did not afford an opportunity for bringing
to light their fairness in so signal way.
The count made on last week gives
Tucker $50 and Yost go, a majority OF
81 for the former and a net gain for him
Of 10 votes. The contestant claims that
when the voter scratched everything, IN
Guiding the caption, on the ballot except
the name OF one candidate, the ballot Is
to be placed to the credit OF the candidate:
In pursuance of this plan Of count he VIII
be going at variance with the law under
which the election was held. The only
way to dodge the provisions OF the law
and results OF the election is 70 nave the
Supreme Court Of the United States De
clare the law unconstitutional. In which
case Il seems to us, the whole election
would have 10 be nullitied and new one
held.
of contest, advances another claim which
appears on the face TO carry with II the
idea that the contestant is graphing az
straws In at least one assertion. III IL
that in the recount the Democratic and
Republican candidates are virtually TO be
the only ones considered as having been
voted for In the election, and hence tnat
when--say Cowden' Shame appeared on
the ballot unscratched and In connection
with II, Yosts In the same condition, the
ballot should be counted for the latter;
1t is well known that the PROHIBITION ana
Pcpullst candidates received not u rev
votes in some parts OF the district, though
the latter received none In this county
which were perfect ballots. This or IL
self would render void any such claim.
But more than this, the State law Is ex-
pliclt on this point. 1t very emphatically
says that the voters intent Is to be con-
strued solely by the ballot as cast and on
the actual ballot alone must all judgment
OF intent be based. This has been
statutory law of the State for a long term
OF years, during which time number OF
claims similar TO that now made by MT
Yost were regularly and legally quashed.
The might have beens" cannot, by law
or common sense, be rightly considered.
The results of the recounts in the other
counties where claims even greater
were made, have not gone to slow fraud
in election affairs such as 10 give q con-
test the chance OF a successful Issue, and
Highland county reverses all claims IN
Mr. fuckers favor. It is doubtful
whether there will ever come time
when absolute purity in elections will be
guaranteed, or else we will be nearing the
millennium when II does come. But this
is different from conceding the whole
sale claims Of fraud, as charged by the
contestant claims which the investigation
as so far conducted have failed to con-
firm II Mr.. Yost IL entitled 10 the seat,
there Is no one more sincerely DESTROYS
that he may have II than we. But the
display Of campaign figures that up 70
this time have been brought forward do
not point 70 a proving OF the claims.
They indicate rather that the contestant
must project his hopes to partisan action
in the Fifty-fourth Congress, which. how
ever, has majority too solid to risk
IT'S chances OF success in more than one
district two years hence by assuming
culpable role.