The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-06-02
Issued to Clerk of Nara
ganSett District.
Names 0fPeOple'S Candidates
Must Go on the Ballot.
Appellate Court Gives Reasonable
View Of the Statute.

The Appellate Court today again was
called upon to decide on the right Of a
political party to have the names OF its
candidates placed upon an Official ballot.
The decision of the court was I'm accord
ance with a reasonable view of the statute
and in favor of the applicants for IA writ
of mandamus. The representatives OF
the Peoples party of Narragansett dis
trict were applicants for the writ and
William IL. Caswell, tho clerk of the
district the respondent
Judge A. II. Lewis appeared for the
petitioners and stated that in the district
Of Narragansett there were two parties
which had no connection with political
parties IN other sections but which were
organized simply OH local issues and that
one OF them, the Peoples party, at the last
election In the district in June, 1896 cast
l46 votes out of a total Of $50. The dis
trlct was he said, an anomaly in Rhode
Island, for il was. In fact. town for the
management OF its local affairs. though
in the election of state and national Off
cors IL was the second district OF the town
OF South kingstown. AT the election In
April last il was voted as part of the
town and by the provisions OF the stat
utes it can elect officers that any other
town in the state can elect.
At "a caucus held recently the Peoples
party made nominations which the clerk
OF the district had refused 10 place upon
the official ballot ana Its representatives,
Judge Lewis said, now asked for writ
OF mandamus 60 compel him TO accept the
certificate of the caucus officers. AS TO
the provisions of the statute requiring
that in order TO have recognition "a party
must have cast two per cent of the vote
at the last election, counsel contested
the same was fully complied with as the
last district election was one held last
June. The Peoples party believed in thu
management of the affairs of the district
in an economical manner and were not
called upon TO enter into the question of
who should be elected senator or repre-
sentative from the town of South Kings.
town.
A. j. Cushing, counsel for Mr. Caswell
said that the only interest his client had
in the matter was TO know just what was
the legal course 10 pursue. In district elec-
tiors the Peoples ana Citizens parties
had presented nominations TO the clerk by
nomination papers; In fact tho Citizens
party had so done this year. Mr. Gushing
thought the language Of the statute was
very plain in its statement that party
in order TO be officially recognized must
have cast two per cent OF the votes cast
at the preceding election. This election
was held last April and the district did
representative from the town of South
Kingstowu. In order 90 maintain its exis-
tence the Peoples party should have made
nominations for senator and representa-
tive same as the Republicans did in the
town of South kingstown.
Judge Iillinghast called Mr.. Cushing's
attention to the statement of the other
side that there had been no election by
the district as a district since last June.
Mr., Gushing replied that the voters OF
the district had taken part in the state
election and in order 10 maintain its
organization party must take part in
all elections. Judge Lewis III reply urged
that there was nothing on the records to
snow there was any election by the dis
trict since last June and that the district
being "a municipal corporation the same
rule must be applied 20 it as TO other
towns. Both political parties of the dis
trict were made up OF men who, in state
and national affairs, were Republicans,
Democrats and Prohibitionists Ii was
Just the same Judge Lewis urged rs IL the
ballot law was in force in his school dis
trict OF West Kingston where there were
two parties known as high tax and low
tax parties; one believing in long school
terms and GOOD teachers and tho other
having few children desiring little money
expended neither having anything to do
with state or national politics. could not
have the names OF their candidates on
the ballot If they did not make nomina-
tions for senator and representative from
the town.
The court Chief Justice Matteson and
Justice Tillinghast, held that the district
being for all matters connected with the
government of its internal affairs the last
election was held last June and the nomi-
nees of the Peoples party caucus were
entitled to recognition.