The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1902-11-13
Defeated Candidate for State Senator
is Not Satisfied by the Returns
Of the Election.
CLAIMS BALLOTS WE'VE LOST.
Eighty In One Ward in Racine Claimed for
Higgins While Counted Only for Rose
JOhnson's Plurality II.

The Democrats of the Third Sena-
torial district in Racine are planning
to make contest of the election of
Otis w. Johnson as State Senator
from the district, as they claim that in
one ward in the city of Racine Higgins
should have received eighty more votes
than were counted in his favor.
Personally, Mr.. Higgins has stated
that he will not lead in the contest,
but if his party takes the matter up he
will be willing to stand with them IN
contrasting the election of Johnson. In
several Of the wards in Racine it is
alleged that the election commissioners
were very arbitrary in making the
count Of the votes.
In all wards tickets were voted IN
which one cross was placed under the
name Of the candidate for Governor
and it is claimed by the Democrats
that the intention of the voter was to
vote the straight Democratic ticket
and that the commissioners OF the
election counted the votes only for
the gubernatorial candidate. In other
wards it is alleged that such ballots
were counted as straight tickets. In
the seventh ward of Racine city there
were eighty of these tickets.
1t is probable that the contest of Mr..
Higgins would amount to little should
it be made, for the inspectors Of the
election have the sole right to decide
as to the intention of the voter. Be-
sides this fact recount of the ballot
would probably result in the election
of Johnson by much larger majority.
In Kenosha county, and particularly
in the Second and Third wards, more
than hundred ballots were cast in
which the only mark on the ballot was
placed under the name of Robert M.
LaFollette.
1t hardly seems possible that these
voters walked to the polls to vote for
LaFollette and no one else, and it
looks more plausible that the men in
tended to vote the straight Republican
ticket. These ballots would more'than
make up for any defective ballots in
Racine county which might go for Mr..
Higgins.
Will REFLECT Spooner.
Senator John G. Spooner will be re-
elected IN spite of the opposition shown
by Governor LaFo1lette in the last
campaign. Enough Republican mem
bers of the Legislature, pledged to the
unconditional support of the Senator,
have been elected to give him not only
the caucus nomination, but to insure
him a majority on joint ballot.
1t is understood that LaFollette will
present a candidate who is in accord
with his ideas of reform and ask that
he be elected. Who this man is no
one seems to know, except that he
doesn't live a thousand miles from
Madison.
1t might be Ex-Congressman Isaac
Stephenson, of Lacrosse, the Cover
nor's personal friend and adviser, as
well as financial hacker, although he
has denied that he has aspirations to
go to Washington again. His bitter
hatred of Senator Spooner is well
known, and of course he will do all
within his power to retire him.
The Legislature will be overwhelm-
ingly Republican. A number are
strong LaFo1lette men and it will be
through these that the executive will
work to gain his ends.