Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1903-04-23
Democratic Ticket.
The City Election MIDDLE.
lIspom The Meade Globe. of April 9TH

From The Meade Globe, of April 9th.l
The election held in the city last Monday
was perhaps the most farcial ever held in any
city in Kansas, or any other state. We will
simply make plain statement of facts and at
this time refrain from comment.
First there was no official notice given of
time and place of holding caucus. Second,
there was no proclamation of election issued
by the Mayor and no notices of the same
posted as to the time and place of holding
the election, as the law provides. Third, the
nomination papers were not filed with the
Clerk in the time prescribed by law. Fourth,
the ticket was filed with the clerk without a
name and went in this shape to the printer
and was so printed. Fifth, on the back of
the ticket, the name, Meade, Kansas, was
not printed and no fac smile of the Clerks
signature, which the law says shall be.
Sixth. no colored ballots were printed as the
law provides. Seventh, all the clerks and
Judges were democrats, which is a violation
of law.
Notwithstanding the fact that the regular
ticket was composed of some of our best
citizens, and all representative business men,
there was hard fight waged against them,
and I35 votes were polled, the women COM
ing out enmasse.
When the polls closed and the judges and
clerks began to count the ballots, they ruled
over protest of some of our citizens, that the
printed ticket was illegal for the reason that
it had no name and decided to count the
names only that were written in the blank
column, this to over protest. And queer as
elected Mayor and the other one claims to be
elected as one of the Councilmen-just count
ed themselves in by claiming the printed
part of the ticket was illegal, and this is how
they did it.
In the blank column had been written the
names, Adams for Mayor and Wehrle, Wood,
Boehler and Cones for Councilman, and in
the printed column a cross was made to the
right of Harper's name which was declared
all right and of course counted, until about
half of the ballots had been taken from the
box, then under pressure of protest the judges
decided that it was illegal to count Mr.. Har-
per's name in this column and quit that part
of the proceedings, and thus the count went
on. Whenever a ticket was drawn from the
ballot box with an x in the circle it was
thrown out and all the ballots, I3s were
counted, 62 of which. had the names of
Adams Wood. Wehrle, Boehler and Cones
written in the blank column and II had a
cross mark in the circle, or straight tickets,
and were declared by the judges, void. The
other 62 were declared o. k. and the persons
above mentioned, including Mr.. Harper.
duly elected, all of which was done under the
most bitter protest by three democrat judges
and two democrat clerks, and in the presence
of number of our most respectable citizens.
These are the facts connected with the
election as nearly as we are able to state
them. The Globe desires to be perfectly fair
with all parties and we say in the name of
justice and decency let there be fair play.
Would it not be far better for our city and all
concerned to declare the whole election illegal
and call special one. The Co. Attorney
Selvidge says this can be done and the Globe
says by all means do it. And If this is not
practical we say declare the election illegal
and let the old board hold over. Any thing
to have legally elected city officials. Let JUS
tice, law and right prevail which will bless
and prosper our people. We cannot at this
stage of the game allow ourselves to be torn
asunder by internal strife. Let us all get to-
gether and do the right thing and work for
the uPbuilding of our town and community.
We can't afford to do any thing but the right.
The above article appeared in
The Meade Globe, of April 9th,
which article not only affects the
good name of the city of Meade,
but also the conduct of the city
officials and the Boardof Election
enmasse. The article was head
1.-THE City Election Middle"
Representatives of the City Gov
eminent called upon Mr.. Fuhr
and presented the matter to him
in which he fully concurred with
them and assured them that he
would make the matter right be-
fore the people in his next issue.
This he failed to do, but on the
contrary, rcasserted his views ex-
pressed in the previous issue.
With the assistance of the City
Officials and their legal advisers
we have had the following reply
to his article prepared which we
sub nit as follows:
"Permit US by way of premise
to say that after a.close study of
the matters urged by you, we
have come to the deliberate con-
c1usion that there was no wrong
atte npted by anyone connected
in any way with the calling ofthe
caucus or any subsequent step
taken in holding the city election
or the declaration of it by the
City Council.
With your leave we will take
up and discuss your Statement
of facts" as numbered by you in
the article above.
First: Asto the chargethat mo
official notice was given of time
and place of heldiAg Caucus"
3. & i,ssi iss tA!a DuFaDer of