The Topeka state journal., 1897-11-05
WAR IN OHIO.
Both Parties Preparing For a
Hard Fight
To Secure Control of the State
Legislature.
SENATORIAL PRIZ e
Will be Fought For Before the
Returning Boards,
In the Courts and in the LegiS.
IatiYe Halls.
THE MARGIN is SMALL
Change of a Few Votes in a
Number of Counties
May Determine Hanna'sChances
to Succeed Himself.

to Succeed Himself
Columbus, Ohio, Nov. 5.-The contest
for control of the legislature will likely
be carried into the courts. The Off
cial returns of about One-fourth of the
eighty-eight counties have been re-
ceived by the secretary of state.
To the returns of close counties pro-
tests have been made. It is proposed
now to prevent the issue of certificates
Of election to certain legislative candi-
dates of the court will so order.
Today interest centers in the official
counting at Bowling Green of the vote
of Wood county. The Republican plu-
tive was reduced yesterday to % and
today it is announced as 25. The Dem
ocrats claim the representative by a
plurality of five. Including Wood
county's representative the Republic
ans claim the legislature by 70 to 70.
If Wood county should finally be put
in the Democratic list by the official
figures, the legislature would stand "A
Republicans to Il Democrats. While
this is a mathematical majority of 3,
it is a constitutional surplus of only /.
It requires 73 votes, or a majority of
all the 145 members to elect a Senator
on joint ballot. With only "A repre-
sentatives in the legislature the death
of q Republican member, or a Repub-
Hcan vacancy from any cause would
leave the bare majority and if Wood
county should elect Democratic rep
resentatiVe there would no doubt be
startling developments at once in at
least two other counties.
The proposed legal proceedings are
believed to be in statu quo waiting the
completion of the official canvass of the
vote in Wood county.
There are ten counties in the state
that gave a plurality each of less than
100 in their respective legislative con-
tests and of these close counties, both
parties are almost equally the benefi-
ciaries. The Republicans claim the
following pluralities in three counties
that have been most hOtly contested;
Delaware %; Noble S5; Wood 25. This
is a total of 139 plurality for represen-
tatiVeS in three counties. A change
of 90 votes properly distributed, would
have changed the legislature to 73
Democrats and 72 Republicans and per
haps have changed the political COM
plexiOn of the United States senate. 1t
is what is at stake, as well as the close
shave that causes the managers of
both parties to fight it out with every
possible effort that can be made.
There were over 1000, 600 votes cast
in Ohio last year, and it was estimated
that there were 100000 votes cast last
Tuesday, of which the deciding 20
Hooking and VintOn counties the Dem
ocrats elect their representative by a
plurality of IS and about the same
plurality in Van Vert county, while in
Summit county the Democrats elect
two representatives on pIuralities thae
are said to be as close as those of
Wood and Delaware counties. The
Republicans claim that a change of
less than 200 votes would give them
four representatives in the counties of
Summit, Van Vert, Hooking and Vim
ton.
The only trouble reported from the
boards making the official counts yes
terday were in Noble and Wood coun-
ties and these were simply animated
discussions. These official counts are
proceeding in the counties again today.
No disturbances are apprehended any
where but both sides will fight to a
finish before the returning boards chen
in the courts and finally in the or
ganizatiOn of the legislature.
Since the Republican plurality on the
state ticket has approached 29, 900 no
interest is taken in those returns.
Republican Chairman Nash says
there is no longer any of the state SEN
atOrS in doubt and the senate viii
stand 19 Democrats to II Republicans
Chairman McConville does not ad-
nit that the Republicans have carried
the 18th district for their candidate for
state sepator, and he still claims the
representatives from Noble, Delaware,
Wood, Muskingum and other counties
claimed by the Republicans. He also
expects the official count to give the
Democrats two of the twelve members
of the legislature from CuyahOga cOun-
ty. In all these counties and in 9TH
erS, he says there will be contests for
the seats in the event of the certificates
of election being given to the Repub-
licans.
Chairman McConville charges fraud
in the close counties and in some Re
publican counties. He says nearly all
the close counties have been Republic
an heretofore, and the Republicans stfn
have the machinery in their charge. He
says the returns have been held back
and it looks suspicious. Other counties
have completed their counting while
the doubtful counties are still at it.
He says the result was known definite
ly in Cincinnati yesterday morning and
he cannot yet get definite results
from Cleveland, where he expects the
vote to be very close on two members
of the legislature. Chairman McCon-
Vile will remain here on duty until the
official count of all the counties is COM
pleted.
Information was received at the state
headquarters of both parties this after
noon that the Republicans claimed the
election of their representative in Wood
county by 2S and the Democrats claim
ed their man had a plurality of IA
When the board of elections took its
noon recess at Bowling Green, the two
Democratic members of the board of
elections, refused to sign the official
canvass of the vote of Wood county
unless the vote of one precinct in Cen
ter township was thrown out The vote
of this precinct makes a difference of