The evening times., 1898-11-01
SOLDIERS FOR Van WICK
Results of the First Days Pre-
election Voting.
BALL0TING In THE CAMPS
Eleven Hundred Votes Cast by the
Twentstsecond New York RegI-
Special LRw for the Army ana
Nays-DemOcrnts in the Majority.

| New York. Nov. 1.-The first ballots in
the State election were cast yesterday
| The Twenty-second Regiment. now on
duty at Fort Slocum, Dayid's Island, did
| the voting. The ballot was secret, but a
careful poll of the men, 3nd their ayow
| ed preferences, indicate ihat the regi-
ment gave plurality Of nearly 400
| against Roosevelt
So overwhelming was the sentiment in
! favor of Van Wyck that last night the
men held a regular jubilee in celebration
of the victor. There was a parade, In
| which fully two-thirds of the regiment
took part, cheering for Van Wyck. Ban
nerS were displayed, which read like this:
"One Rough Rider is as good as ten Vol
uuteers-RooscveH.
Over Thousand Votes.
The banners caused no end of caus;ic
comment from the men, and indicated one
source of the feeling against Roosevelt in
the regiment.
The Twenty second cast 100 votes. The
regiment is to leave for Athens Ga. be-
fore election day. so in accordance with
the soldiers voting law ballots were sent
to the fort last Saturday. The ballots
came from Secretary OF State Palmer.
Yesterday was the regular day for
monthly muster and inspection, and Col.
Bartlett decided TO hold the election then.
The only announcement made to the
men was In a speech TO the men an hour
before the voting began by the colonel.
He simply said that each man should
vote Independently and that no one could
question his ballot.
The Van WycK strength made its APP
pearance then, and its strength was as
tonishing.
This was despite the fact that Chairman
Quigg has been inundating the soldier
boys with a description of Roosevelt at
Santiago and also with typewriter let
ters. So far as known the Democratic
committee has not sent a single line or
campaign literature 70 the island.
The ballots given TO the soldiers were
simply sips OF paper about four feet long.
with the hist of State, judicial, city and |
county offices 10 be filled Under each /!
office was blank space, i'll which the |
soldier wrote the name of the candidate !
for whom he wished TO vote.
There were no names printed on the |
ballots. as they are the same as will be !
sent TO soldiers and sailors OF the State |
in al! parts of the world. Each man is |
supposed 10 know the names of candi- |
dates for whom ne is entitled to vote. or
10 learn them as best he may
Methods Of Casting Ballots.
The blank ballots were distributed to
the men and they prepared them in their !
tents if they wished Then each put his
ballot in an envelope ana sealed ii with
an affidavit as TO mis- residence.
The men make no secret of their pref
erence for Van Wyck Whatever restraint
haar rhrpxI
soon as the voting was over. and last
nights celebration by the supporters Of
Van Wyck showed their overwhelming
numbers in the regiment while the
Roosevelt letter indicated at least one of
the reasons for il.
Democratic leaders have been informed
within the past few days that Col
Leonard, of the Twelfth Regiment, now
at Lexington KY. had indicated in un-
mistakable terms TO the men of his COM
mand that the exercise of the franchise
was no part of a soldiers business, that,
il fact. soldier had no part in the poll
tics of the nation.
Appeal to General Miles.
The matter was brought yesterday to
the attention of the law committee of
Tammany Hall, which addressed a letter
to Gen. Miles on the subject. In the let
ter they inform Gen. Miles of the law
which imposes the duty upon command
ing officers of regiments commissioned by
this State to receive ballots sent by the
secretary of state, and that they make
provisions for such elections.
The committee asks, on behalf of the
Democratic party of the city of New
York, that Gen. Miles inquire into these
facts. and take such action as will en-
able the citizens of this State now in
the service to vote in accordance with
the provisions of the law
The law committee is confident that
its action will result in the fullest prvi-
lege 10 vote being granted TO the New
York State soldiers.