The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-01-17

The return judges who served at last
Saturdays Republican primaries VIII
meet this afternoon in the rooms OF
the Central Republican club for the
purpose of compiling the returns ard
deciding who the party nominees are.
At 9 o'clock the meeting of the re-
turn judges will be called to order
by c. Il. Chlttenden, chairman of the
Republican city committee. Following
IS the order of business provided for
this meeting in the Crawford county
rules, Roll call. temporary organiza-
tion, appointment of committees, re-
port of committees, permanent organ
ization, compiling returns.
1t Is highly probable that effort viii
be made to make some changes in
the rules before today's convention ed
journs. As the rules stand now, II
candidate has a right fifteen days be-
fore election to order as many "ofh-
Cial" ballots as he may see fit to pay
for. There is desire to change the
word Official to specimen" that
greater safeguard may be thrown
around the expression of the people S
will. A specimen" ballot will serve
the same purpose as the "ofti-
cal' so far as showing voters the prop
er manner to mark ballots is con-
cerned, and will prevent the abuses
that might follow in the wake of q
general distribution of the Official
ballots. Changes with refernce to al
lowing representatives of candidates 10
watch the counting of votes and the
manner of counting will also be sug-
gested.
MUCH SPECULATION.
There was a good deal of speculation
a. to what todays convention will do
with the assessor problem. If tn, OFF.
: ciaI compilation of the vote should
| show that G. $. Fowler and Philip
| Rinsland are two of the highest candi-
! dates they will be certified as the nom
inces, even if they do reside ir 4 e
| same ward.
The convention, Chairman Clitten-
den said yesterday, will take the DOS
ilion that they are for the purpose of
certifying the names of candidates who
received the largest number os votes,
ard have no right to consider any legal
| questions that may arise.
If either Mr.. Fowler or Mr.. Rinsland
is not entitled to the nomination the
matter will probably be brought to the
passed upon. A gentleman of high
| standing in the legal profession in dis
CT ssing the matter with a Tribune man
| said yesterday:
IF Mr.. Rinsland and Mr.. Fowlhr are
nominated today it may bring about a
legal snarl, but just at this time the
contingency is somewhat remote. AS
understand the law, there is nothing
/ Ia ~ M
ward being candidates for assessor
| Both may not be elected, you know.
"If both are elected then the matter
would naturally come before the court
Whether or not they would say thai
the man who received the largest num-
Der of votes was entitled to the otliCt
remains to be seen. If Mr.. Rius'an,
is one of the nominees he can move Ou
of the Thirteenth ward, or Mr.. FoW,el
can, and that will cure that defect a
once.
HE COULD NOT VOTE.
such action would deprive the mar
moving of his vote at the coming cleo
ton but would not affect his standins
as a candidate. He is a citizen a
Scranton, and the mere fact of moVinf
from one district to another within 4
given time prior to the election Carrie'
with it no further penalty than inabllit!
to vote.
"The matter might come to the at
tention of the court Immediately aftc
the nomination on the motion of tn
man fourth on the list, who desired
to have his name substituted on tn
official ballot for Rinsland. let us say
if he happened to be low man. douo
if the court would take any action
1t would probably rule that there Il
nothing to consider until after the ele :
ton is held. 1t is the election no
nomination that is referred to in tht
act"