The Topeka state journal., 1902-11-11
1T WILL NOT DO.
NO One Is Satisfied With New
Ballot Law.
ono Nomination" Blanks Cause
of Much Trouble.
SURE TO BE FIXED.
Next Legislature Will at Least
Make Changes.
Webb McNall Writes of His De-
feat and Other Things.

1t is generally conceded now that the
new ballot law was bad thing for the
Republicans in some counties as we'll as
Tor the Democrats in others. Losses
were about evenly divided. The mo
nomination feature with a square after
IL caused more trouble than anything
else, but this caused a great many bal
lots to be thrown out which were other
wise all right. 1t was perfectly evident
Whom the voter intended to vote for, but
because the square was marked after
the words mo nomination." the entire
ballot was thrown out. Wherever the
Republicans had a no nomination" on
their ticket they suffered more than the
1uslon1Sts, because they were not so well
educated in the use of the ballot.
If the squares had been omitted after
the words No Nomination" all this
trouble would have been obviated, but
the sample ballot which Was incorpor-
ated as part of the law put in these
unnecessary squares, thereby confusing
the voters. 1t was an especial hardship
on the man whose eyesight was
impaired. "A man who could not see
we'll would probably vote down most of
the squares on the ticket of his choice,
and he would be quite likely to mark
the rest. If the square had been left off
thousands of ballots would doubtless
have been saved.
The next Legislature will, without
doubt, amend the law in a number of
its provisions, if it does not wipe it out
altogether. Nearly every body is dis
gusted with the law in its present
shape.
Ellis. Kan. Nov. 11.-Joseph M.
Schaeffer, a Russian, was given ma
jority of $50 in the recent election for
county treasurer. He was the Demo-
cratic candidate but his election will be
contested. For the past Is years Schaef-
fer has been a travelling man for Bitt-
man, Todd & Co. of Leavenworth. and
he is well known among the travelling
men and merchants of the state. Now
1t has been discovered that he has never
taken out naturalization papers and was
/ therefore not an American citizen at the
time he was elected. His mother is
widow and came to Ellis county 25 years
ago when Schaeffer was a boy of 1.-TWO
years ago d young Russian was elected
iclerk of the district court but it was
discovered that neither he nor his faith
er had taken out naturalization papers
and the office was given to his oppon
ent on a contest
D. O.. McCray has received letter
from Webb McNall. the other half of
the Free Silver party, in which Webb
says:
L was pleased to hear from you anl
note that you say we have our honor
left. We have more-that is 1 have. [
have nine chances in the convention
hall guessing contest and 1 have a sure
thing. Mort says the vote won't go
above 900, and l now have confidence
in his figures. 1 have eight numbers
below this figure.
L note that our friends, the enemy,
say the election was a landslide at the
polls. 1t was not so in this couuty-the
landslide took place among the judges
after the votes were cast.
4 desire to call vour attention TO the
fact that what took place at Fort Scott
has been barred by the statute of lirni-
tations AS to white shirts l woul1 call
your attention to the fact that l have
only one and I had the right to wear
that on Sunday, the same as we had the
right to declare for Battle AK plug in
stead of Horse Shoe I am afraid Mac
that you do not realize the solemnity of
the occasion. You are using entirely TOO
much leVlty. ! say to you as member
of our party that you are not taking
things as seriously as you ought You
act to me like man who had lost faiTll
in your candidacy for state printer.
will be down to see you and compare
notes as soon I am able to sit up
and have my bed made"
Republican politicians have done toe
much talking about prosperity around
the Copeland. They have told how much
money everybody is making and how
prosperous the whole people are AS a
consequence they find themselves con-
fronted by an advance in hotel rates
The Copeland will be the busiest place
in Kansas during the next few months
1t will be the mecca of every ReDub-
lican politician in the state. With a lot
Of new offices to be distributed by a new
administration, a Legislature about tc
. meet and a United States senator and
state printer to be elected, there will
; probably be a great demand for room ir
the Copeland. AS consequence there
} will have to be more or less ''doublins
up, and the advance in rates affects
principally those who want rooms by tbs
month and want to be exclusive. Dur
ing the years when Populism reignec
Colonel Gordon kept open house for Re
publicans without receiving due COM
pensation therefor. A few politicians
would come to Topeka from over the
state. eat at a 1O-cent restaurant, anc
then go to the Copeland to pick theil
2 teeth and hold caucuses. Now the Cope
? land people think they are entitled tc
? their share of the prevailing prosperity
Ellis. Kas. Nov 11-Ellis county
which is naturally Democratic by So
2 ma jority, played even by its two can
t didates for district judge by giving them
q tie vote, 926 votes each James H
Reeder. the Republican candidate, nat
urally feels pretty we'll over having beer
? able to reduce the big ma jOrity to tie
as Ellis county is also the home of ths
= Democratic candidate. w. E. Saum. II
I all the other counties, except TregO
Reeder has majority. in Russell 95S
Cove 200. Logan 81 and Wallace 135
Trego county gave Saum 25 ma jority
making Reeder's net majority 645. Eli:
county does some queer things political
ly. The big Democratic ma 1OritV /.
caused by 700 Russian anti-orohibition
lists, yet it once gave McCabe, a negrr
= Republican, a majority for state auditor
: and the year that woman suffrage wa;
. voted on it gave that proposition a ma
jority. and at the same time gave
= good majority for David Overmyer
5 Democratic candidate for governor, wh'
:. was radically opposed to woman suf
= frage.
a 1t looks as though the amendment t
increase the pay of members of the leg
: islature has been defeated 1t require
a two-thirds majority. and the frs