Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1898-12-16
THE VOTE ON GOVERNOR.

The Aberdeen News and other leading
republican papers of the state, backed
by Chairman Herried of the Republi-
can central committee, have been try
ing every since election was over to
convince the people that there was
great fraud somewhere in the vote for
governor, basing their assertion on the
false statement that the combined vote
for governor was four or five thousand
larger than the combined vote for con-
gressmen and the other state fdffcers.
Until the official canvass was conclud.
ed and the votS for each Office given
out, there has been no way of ascertain
ing the truth or falsity of these repub-
lican statements; but now that we have
access to the official figures it is discov-
cred that there is not so vast differ
ence between the vote on governor and
the other officers az has been alleged.
Instead of four or five thousand, it
dwindles down to little over 1400 in
one instance, and less than 1000 in
number of instances.
The vote on congressman was consid
erably less than for any of the state
officers: Mr.. Gamble received SO. $50
and Mr.. Kelley received 32,3l4 or H.
093 for both This was the highest
vote for congressman. Burke receiving
SO, 305 and Knowles 2,240 or SO, 636
combined. .... >,
The vote for governor was, Lee 37,-
3l9; Phillips 3s,949, or 74,26s for both.
Now take the office of attorney general,
and we find that Pyle, (Rep) received
35.7O1 and Palmer, (fusion) s4,147, or
Y. S4S for both, which is within 1920 of
the total vote for governor. Take again
tine Office Of secretary of state; Roddle,
(Rep) received 3S,665, and Sparkling.
(fusion) 1871, or 72,576 for both which
is less than the vote cast for governor
oy 1872. The combined vote for treas
arer was 72, ,654, which is hut 1912 less
shan the vote for governor. The other
state Offices run along about the same.
It is the vote on congressman alone
that shows any considerable difference,
md this is easily accounted for, 1t is
evident that both Messrs. Kelley and
knowles, fusionists. run few hundred
behind their ticket-possibly a thou
.and, while Mr. Burke, Republican,
run behind his associates, an average
of over 1000. Those who scratched
Burke were insurgent Republicans who
did not vote for either Kelley or
knowles.
There are about 1900 voting precincts
in the state. The canvass preceding
election was made almost entirely on
the governorship. and it is not at all
strange or remarkable that an average
Of one voter in each precinct should
have voted his ballot for the single
office of governor. One vote in each
precinct in the state cast for the COVER
nor alone, would account for the diff
ference in the vote between the COVER
norship and attorney general. But it
is not necessary that even one voter in
the state should have cast his ballot for
governor alone in order to bring about
the result shown by the official canvass
The only true test is this: The total
vote for both Lee and Phillips is "A, s6s. !
Now, did this number of persons vote.
at all the precincts in the state, on
election day? If it can be shown, land
it certainly can be ascertained from the
poll lists) that "a 2es persons voted there
must be an end to the controversy and
we believe that the poll lists will dis
close a much larger number-at least
several hundred. Scratched tickets are
often incomplete, and large portion /