The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-10-24
Republicans Try to Make a
 Sensation of t
DEMOCRATIC CHAIRMAN ACTS
Campbell Gives Out an Interview, In Which He Discusses the Alleged Mistake On the Part of
 the Printer.

A blank ballot, said by the republicans to be official, was received from Marion county yesterday at the headquarters of the republican state campaign commit tee at the Hnlman hotel. and it created something of a sensation when it was found that the name of the republican nominee for governor was divided and occupied two lines.
 Chairman Cook at once called a confer ence and later in the day filed in the cir cult court petition requesting the judge to grant writ of mandamus to compel the probate judge of Marion county, the Hon. W. R. White. to change the of ficial ballots of that county so that the name of J. A. w. Smith would appear on one line, in proper form.
 The Allegation. The petition alleges that the ballots in Marion county, as printed, are not in con- formity with sections 1911 and 1907 of the code of Alabama, 1896. and that the name of the republican nominee appears as John Anthony on one line and that a line separates the name from winston Smith," which appears directly under
 
 the manner in which the name appears on the ballot will tend to create con- fusion, and that as printed some voters would be led to think that John An thony'' was one candidate and Winston Smith another.
 The chairman of the republican cam paign committee goes on to say in the pe- tition that the probate judge of Marion county has disregarded his duty in mak- ing out the ballots and has caused to be printed ballots that are not in accordance with the law of the state.
 The petition will be considered today by Judge A. A Coleman of the circuit sourt
 Campbell's Statement.
 Chairman E. K. Campbell of the demo- critic state campaign committee, on be- ing asked last night for a statement con- cerning the petition for mandamus pro- ceedings, said:
 q do not know what the facts are but as soon as the matter was called to my attention I addressed a communication to our committeeman in Marion county to investigate it and if mistake was made to have 1t corrected. Hamilton, the county seat, is a long distance from the railroad and I could not learn the facts today. However, 1 am inclined to think that if the ticket was printed as charg- ed it was occasioned by the fact that MT. Smiths name in full-John Anthony Winston Smith-is too long to be put in one line of an ordinary sized ballot, and that the printer In setting up the type, innocently inserted a line under the first two words of the name. I feel sure that has not done an intentional wrong and that the ballot will be corrected, if in- deed it needs a correction. Would Be Valid.
 T am of opinion that if cast in the shape which the mandamus petition al- leges is to be, and a voter makes the X mark before either name, John An- thony or Winston Smith, it would be held to be a valid ballot for Mir. Smith there being not John Anthony running or being voted for.
 T wish to assure the people that we ex- pect to have a fair election and if the condition of the ballot had been called to my attention 1 would have advised, and will yet advise that, the ballot be printed differently in order to remove any appearance of unfairness that the repub- licans may see in it's present shape
 Tt may all be an attempt to create a sensation"