The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-02-19
Costello's majority. S1s

The new select council and board OF
school control will have majority OF
Democrats. The common council con-
tinues 20 be Republican. The Demo-
rrats gain one select councilman and
two school controllers. The Republi-
cans gain two more members of COM
mon council.
Both Chairman Chittenden and Chair
man Schadt were agreed on the causes
that led to the Democratic victory. In
the Democratic strongholds the voters
were induced to face the unpropitious
elements by interest in hot local fights.
In the Republican strongholds there
We're, for the most part, no local con-
tests,
For instance. in the Third, Twelfth
and Eighteenth wards, where there are,
all told less than score of Republi-
rams. the Democrats were fairly at one
another's throats. In the Fourth, Fifth,
Ninth, Thirteenth, Fifteenth and Sew
enteenth wards there was absolutely no
opposition whatever to the Republican
ward and district candidates.
That this was not wholly accidental,
is indicated by the fact that d. j.
Campbell, who was the Democrat nomi-
nee for the speculative Office of poor
director, publicly withdrew his name,
for no purpose other than forestalling
n contest that would have a tendency
to bring out the big Republican vote
in the wards comprising the district in
which he was to run.
The weather had not q little to do
with Mr.. Morris defeat. On Il fair day
the voters would likely come out with
out the incentive of q local fight for
Mr. Morris is personally popular and
not wanting in as much as Il single
political weakness. 1t was simply q
case of luck being with the enemy.
Yesterdays election was the first in
which the ballots We're not numbered
and the voter, himself was permitted
or rather required, to place his ballot in
the box, instead OF having the election
officers do it for him. This innovation
unquestionably accomplishes it's pur-
pose, the absolute secrecy of the bal
lot, but, according to the views OF some
of the politicians, it opens up wide
door for fraud, by reason of the fact
that the numbering of the ballots being
done away with, contests are practice
ally done away with. In district. for
instance, which has an election board
composed of all Republicans or all
Democrats. which is not uncommon,
even in Scranton, the party workers
could be permitted to vote any and
everybody, without much fear of ever
being detected. Once the ballot gets
into the box it is there to stay, for
there is no way of ever afterward
identifying it. The returns from sew
eral Democratic districts in which there
were no contests and in which the
boards all n la fni
tend to indicate that this "open door,
had been discovered and at least,
peeped through
In the wards comprising the old
North and Middle wards of Scranton
borough the returns in some instances
snow votes for two Republicans. This
Is accounted for by the fact tina. by a
mistake Mr.. Brooks and Mr. Fuller, of
the Middle and North wards, respect
lively, We're certified as the candidates
OF the North and Middle wards re-
spectiVely. Republicans who contented
themselves with Il cross in the circle
voted for the wrong man. The votes
regularly received by either We're cast
by means of stickers or written inser-
lions.
CONFUSION OVER BALLOTS.
There was confusion galore all
through the county as a result of de-
1cctiNe ballots. Either The Tribune or
Republican or both has printed the bal
lots, heretofore, and never was there
heard as much as a single complaint
The Tribune has Il record of never hav-
Ing made an error, clerical, Topographic
2al or otherwise in any ballot that II
1as printed. This year, County Con-
troller Jones decided TO award the con-
tract TO competition. The lowest bid
der was The Times. Its bid was 80. 75
per thousand. while that of The Trib-
une and Republican was $14 per thous-
and. The cheap bid was accepted and
as consequence the election in at
least one municipality is invalid, or at
least can be invalidated if any one
cares to contest it.
This municipality is Lackawanna
township where a new form of gov
eminent is being installed. The bal
lots for the South and Southeast dis
tricts We're so faulty that they could
not be used and at an early morning
hour the county commissioners had to
set about the task of providing new
ballots. 1t was 2;30 o'clock p. M, be-
fore the new ballots could be printed
and delivered. In the meantime, the
voters of these districts had to stand
around and wait.
In Mayfield, the Democratic school
controller and councilman, for one of
the wards were printed in the same
group The commissioners gave in
structions that the councilmans name
should be scratched out, and that any
one who wanted to vote for him, should
write the name in the extra column.
THE hallnfG he