The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-12-13

1t would appear as If the special
councimanic elections in eight of the
wards of the city. which were to have
been held on next Tuesday. would have
to be postponed That's what the
county commissioners say, and az they
are the ones who control the printing
of the ballots. they should know.
The commissioners served notice on
Mayor Moi- yesterday morning that
they would not be able to have the bal
lots printed in time for an election on
Tuesday next, on account of the fact
that the primaries are not to be held
until Saturday.
p The mayor didn't take kindly to the
proposition at first and informed the
commissioners that in his opinion. they
would have plenty of time to get the
ballots printed. They replied in most
emphatic terms that they would not
and the mayor accordingly directed
city Clerk Lavellr to send out call
fn, a special meeting OF the select coun-
eli for tonight. He also directed Clerk
Iynctt. of the common council. to send
out notices to all the remaining MEM
hcrs Of that branch requesting them
Ia be present at tonight's regular meet
ing.
ABOUT SPECIAL ELECTIONS.
The law governing the holding OF spe-
uiaI elections to fill councilmanic va
cHnrieS urescribeS that each council
shall fix the time for holding such spc
rinl elections. This time has already
been fixed for next Tuesday. and If it
is necessary to postpone it, the new
date. as we'll. will have to be fixed by
councils. This is tho reason for the
calling of q special meeting of select
for tonight and for the request that
every member Of the common branch
be present at tonight's meeting.
The select council will probably meet
tonight. but it's dollars to doughnuts
that the common council won't. There
will probably be eight members of
the common branch present. but the
remaining five will undoubtedly be alb
sent. This is because the common
branch. since the resignation of the
eight members last Thursday night
consists of eight Democrats and five
Republicans
There is at present no chairman,
Chairman Griffiths having been one of
the members who resigned. If a meet
ing is held tonight the first thing which
would have to be done would be to
elect a chairman. This is just what the
Democrats want. and just what the Re
plblicans don't want. The Democrats
want to elect Councilman Calpn as
chairman. and they could do it If
meeting was held.
STATUS OF COUNCILS.
Before the designations of the eight
N,s.t1, =.
Gratis had a majority of one. but the
Republicans believe that at the coming
election they have pretty good chance
of making this a Republican majority
of one. the Fourteenth ward being de-
hatable ground. For this reason they
don't want a chairman chosen until
after the new members are elected
The election of a Democratic chair
man al this time would permit the con-
troll of the estimates committee by that
party. Four of the members of that
committee We're among those who re-
signed. and Luther Keller is now the
only Republican and the only member
remaining. This is. perhaps, the most
important committee in councils.
There is no question but that at least
three of the five Republican members
Will remain away tonight to prevent
quorum being present.
If the county commissioners remain
firm in the stand they have taken and
If the Republican members insist on
staying away from meetings, it would
seem as If the holding of the special
elections could be put off indefinitely.
MIR. NORRIS STATEMENT.
County Commissioner John C. Nor
ris was last night seen by Tribune
man regarding the matter. and declared
that 1t was an impossibility to have
the ballots properly certified, the cleo
tion officers furnished with all supplies,
the ballot boxes put in. and other ar
rangements made, in time to hold the
general election Tuesday. He also said
that these general elections were the
source of great expense to the county,
and that he thought it would be a good
idea to wait and see if any other resig-
nations he rendered before holding
them.
why he remarked, with council
men rrsignlng all the time we would
be doing nothing but holding special
elections. Each of these elections costs
the county several hundred dollars. and
1t will make it interesting for the tax
succession.
- don't know whether or not COun- !
cl.men Williams and Mccain are 60
ing to resign, as has been reported |
'it ] think we ought to wait and sr.,
l'H,"ad of having another speci.I cleo
t'on in case they do. There is no need |
e"r tEis great hurry with the election
Commissioner Durkin and myself |
called upon Mayor Moir this morning
or the express purpose of finding oul
if the present state of affairs inter- |
feres at all with the workings of coun-
I'll. The mayor told us that it did |
net and agreed with us that there WAS |
no need for this election to be neld |
so lrecipitously. He put our minds |
thoroughly at rest regarding the fact |
hat the absence of these members !
viii rot interfere with the sessions OF |
council and told us that the election |
could be postponed until few days !
before Jan. 10, without in any way |
interfering With councils
THE DIFFICULTIES.
"lf this caucus was To have !,aan |
held any day but saturday the cleo |
ton could have taken place on the |
liked day. but how can 1t, this way: |
They won't get through counting The |
vote until 3 or 10 o'clock SATURDAY |
night and then there will be no one !
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