The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-11-06
COUNTS MUST DECIDE
The Legislature in Ohio. Is Still
in Doubt.
MAJORITIES ARE SMALL
The Wood County Vote Depends Upon
the Decision of the Court-It May
Give the Legislature to the
Democrats by One Vote.

Columbus, Ohio. Nov. 5.-The Ohio
legislature stands "A republicans. 70
democrats and one doubtful on the OFF,
cial returns received up toto-night, With
a dozen or more Of the IS counties very
close. There have been no material
changes except I'm Wood county. which
will be claimed by both parties until
the courts pass on the action Of the
supervisors. There have been no un-
usual proceedings before the returning
boards of any of the counties. except
that of Wood. although both parties
have had their representatives and at
torneys in their county seats wherever
the vote was close.
Chairman McConville OF the demo-
cratic state committee has not changed
his claims Of democratic majority on
joint ballot, and will not do So until
the official returns of all the counties
are I'm and show the final result To differ
from those he has at hand. Chairman
McConville and others from democratic
state headquarters went to Cincinnati
TO confer with John X. Mclean and
other party leaders regarding the con-
tests that are to be made In the close
counties.
&ndliitldu .>dSn lilStStS tb-niEut tutt
the legislature stands IS republicans to
10 democrats and that the majority on
joint ballot for senator will not he less
than five. He says he is tonight sat
isiied with the situation In Wood coun-
ty. What he feared was that the offi-
cial count might wipe out the small
republican plurality In that county.
Since the official tally sheets show a
| plurality of 81 for the republican rep
resentative. Joseph Nash. he says he Is
willing and ready To have any court
pass on the case. lie says the law pro-
vidos that the members Of the boards
Of election cannot go behind the returns
and the supreme court has held that
| they have no ministerial powers what
ever and cannot hear evidence or use
| their discretion In throwing out any
votes. That II left 10 the courts and
| 10 each branch Of the legislature in
| passing on credentials OF Its members.
In Wood county to-day. Norris, the
| republican candidate for representative,
filed n protest against the board count
ing the vote OF Freedom township be-
cause the ballots had been Tailed in
blocks OF five. This precinct gives Nor
ris l5l ana Mears. the democratic cam
didate for representative. 263. If the
vote of the township had been thrown
out II would have increased the plu-
rality of Norris by 1i2. but il was
counted. The republicans insist that
Norris will be declared elected in
Wood county and that the Legislature
stands IS to 20.
IL is learned here tonight that coun-
sci for both democrats and republican
committees al Bowling Green to-day
agreed 10 submit the Wood county
case at once tn the circuit court. and
that the lawyers ON both sides went to
Toledo for that purpose. The court
viii be asked to decide whether the
election hoard can go behind the re-
turns. or course IL will be left for pro-
ceedings In contest I'm the house "a
decide whether the vote of Center
township shall be counted.
Information has been received at re-
publican headquarters Of protests Ia
the Soldiers home vote at Dayton on
the ground that the voting precincts
were not I'm the proper place. IL that
vote should be thrown out the demo-
Gratis would gain two representatives
from Montgomery co1nty and one sen.
ator. enough ton the claims of the re.
publicans) Ia make the lcgislatur,
stand 13 democrats 10 - republicans on
joint ballot. Chairman Nash says ther,
are about 10 precincts In the stat,
where these technical points on the 10.
cation of the polls can he raised and
IL IL II MADE an issue of contest, IL will
work both way. with no knowing thC
final restilf