Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-11-05
POST'ELEcF|ON FIGHT
That in Ohio May Be Hotter Than
II Was Before the Ballots
Were Csst,
30 VERY CLOSE on LEGISLATORS

1nae both Parties Are Applying to Ote
Courts to Protect Their Riehts-Repub-
heans Have tho Votes on the Face of the
Returns, II Seems-Remarkably small
Number Of Ballots That Would Have
Changed the Result - Mary Land Il to
Have a Republican Senator.
Columbus, Nov. 4.-Late last night Il
became known that the courts would be-
resorted to for the purpose of prevent
Ing boards of election from issuing GER
tifcates to the Republican candidates
for the legislature in certain counties.
The cases will be brought in the lower
courts and thence to the supreme court
| as soon as possible. The Republican
state committee also has lawyers pre-
pairing cases of contest.
The Republicans get three representa-
t;ves on the face of the returns form Del
| aware. Noble and Wood counties whose
pluralities aggregate only Ia and a
| change Of 70 votes would have given
the Democrats control of the legislature.
Fhe Republicans claim that the Demo-
Gratis also elected members of the leg
stature on close margins: that there
| were ten counties in the state that gave
| less than 100 plurality each for their
candidates for the legislature ard that
the Democrats secured as many men,
bers on these small pluralities as the
Republicans. Both sides are preparing
for contests first in the courts and after
ward in the legislature.
Republicans Have an Advantage.
IF fho &c
| the tribunal Of last resort in judging of
the qualifications of its members the
Republicans have an advantage, in their
| control Of the house, over the Demo-
, cratst. who control the senate. There are
! 70 senators, with only two or three con-
tests possible In that body. In the house
there are los members, with q dozen or
more seats that can be contested, and
the Republicans claim a majority of z
/ in that body SO that more Democrats
could be unseated In the house than
Republicans in the senate. While both
committees are keeping secret any ar
rangementS for legal proceedings it is
stated that the Democratic state con-
| mittee will seek to enjoin enough certi-
ncates Of election from Republican rep
representatives. to prevent the Republicans
from organizing the house and appointing
the committee that will consider con-
\ tests. Developments are expected to-
day in the policies of both parties so far
as appealing to the courts are con-
| cerred.
Protests In All Three Counties.
The official count from the Delaware
county Is in, but with protests and no.
tees Of contest from the Democrats. and
! the same is true Of Noble county. The
| official count of Wood county may not
be completed TIL tomorrow, although
| they expect to get through today. In
! Wood county the Democrats protested
| against counting the vote of q precinct
| where the place OF voting was outside
T! Of the precinct but within the ward.
Had this precinct been thrown out II
| would have elected the Democratic can
didate for representative by a plurality
| OF 5, instead of the Republican candi-
date by 2S The vote of the precinct
was counted and the Democratic protest
filed. Other techniealities are expected
| in the progress OF the vote in that
| county. In Noble county there was a
| long contest over 81 scratched tickets
that We're finally thrown ont because
they were not properly marked. This
| was a Republican loss. Every point is
! being contested in the official count OF
! the close counties.
| Claims of the Two Chatrynep
Chairman Nash said last night that
| the Republicans have O safe majority
| of on joint ballot in the legislature
| He admits that the pluralities are small
in some counties, but claims they are
| safe. He has no doubt of the result In
any Of the counties which he claims ex-
eept possibly Wood county. Chairman
McConville does not admit that the Re-
publicGns have carried the Thirteenth
| district for their candidate for state
senator, and he still claims the repre-
sentatives from Noble, Delaware. Wood
Muskingum' and other counties claimed
by the Republicans. He also expects
the official count to give the Democrat;
two Of the twelve members Of the leg.
islature from Cuyahoga county. Nc.
| Conville charges fraud In the Gloss
counties and in some Republican coun.
ties.