The representative., 1900-11-01
POPULISTS
MAY CONTEST
nID-ROADERs OF MINNESOTA HOLD
THE BALANCE OF POWER IN
THE COMING ELECTION.
If the Mfd-rOaA Electoral Vote II Not
Counted and Returned . Contest
May Throw Out tho Electoral
Vote of Both Old Parties In
the Electoral College.

Twitchell. ESQ.,, Editor Representative,
Minneapolis Minn.-Dear Sir: Why can't
you write in the name of at least one
elector on the ballot-that Is, ask the
Populist voters to? 1 have just received a
ruling from our secretary OF state saying
we can do this in this state. We have a
full electoral ticket duly fled, but In this
end other districts did not attempt to get
the number Of petitioners necessary for
congressional nominees. So I asked the
secretary of state whether it would be
legal to write in the name of our candidate,
and he said it would and that the vote
thus cast would have to be counted and
returned. I suggest that you get ruling
OF your state authority on the question
forthwith and get into your paper this week
Uf ruling Is favorable) an appeal to Popu-
lists to write in one elector (giving his
name). Do not let the true Populists scat
ter. We must win in four years more II
there are enough leaders with honesty and
backbone sufficient to keep the people from
losing all confidence.
Another point: II your certificates Of
electors was filed believe you can compel
it's printing on the ballot, as the law re-
Quiring the $50 is certainly unconstitutional
If $50 can be required, why not $1,000?
Truly yours. P. ]. DIXON.
The foregoing letter from Paul ]. Dix
on, editor of the Missouri World, con-
tains some very interesting and import
ant suggestions. The state ballots have
been printed and distributed to the diff
ferent counties and the time would, in
any event. be too short for a contest
to compel the placing of our electoral
ticket on the ballot.
We already have the ruling of the
secretary of state that names of our
electors could not be placed upon the
state ballot without payment of $50 80
days prior to election, for the name Of
each elector 80 placed upon the ballot.
With Mr.. Dixon, we are inclined to
believe this $50 requirement is uncon-
stitutional, and If Midroaders are dis
franchised by an unconstitutional act
of the old parties, 1t seems to US that
the mildest remedy that can be applied
in such case would be the throwing out
of Minnesota's electoral vote entirely III
the electoral college.
In view of these possible contingencies
and along the line Of Mr.. Dixon's sug-
gestion, we urge THAT EVERY MID
ROAD POPULIST WRITE INTO HIS
BALLOT THE NAMES OF THREE
MIDROAD POPULIsT ELECTORS
Upon the printed ballot voters Will
find one inch of blank space following
each group Of electors. Republicans
have first position at head of the ballot,
followed by one inch blank space, then
comes the names of Democratic electors.
followed by an inch of blank space and
Prohibitionists have third position upon
the ballot.
The names of our electors should i've
written in the one inch of blank space
following the electors of the Prohibi-
tionists, and giving us fourth position
upon the ballot.
This one inch space will permit the
writing of three electors names without
crowding.
1t is important that all our people
write in the same three names. There
is not room in this one inch space to
write the names of more than three
electors. Debs Socialists have only one
elector on the ticket, which answers
the purpose of giving the party stand
ing.
We have before printed the names of
our nine electors, with the referendum
ballot cast for each.
1t would seem to be the fair thing to
write upon our ballots the names of the
three electors who had the largest num-
ber of referendum votes. Here is the
list Of our nine electors, with the votes