Amador ledger., 1904-10-14
REPUBLICAN NOMINEES SHUT
OUT.
Certificates of Nomination Not Filed in
Time.-Win Petition as Independent
Candidates.

a singular condition confronts the
republicans of Amador county; namely
that while they have regularly uomi-
mated three candidates for supervisor
in the three districts-one, two and
four-they cannot appear on the ballots
as republican candidates. There were
only three nominations by the "epubli-
can convention held August 20, cosse
quently the whole republican county
ticket is out in the cold. For the first
time in the history of the republican
party in this county, the republican
column as far as county officers are
concerned will be blank This turn
ing down of the republican ticket has
been brought about by combination
of circumstances, and misconception
OF the law. The law requires that csr-
tificates of nomination by d convention
must be filed not more than 90 and not
less than 80 days before the election.
Excluding the day of election the last
day for filing such certificates was Sat
urday, the Sth instant. A printed
notice. however, sent up from below,
and supposed to have been compiled by
parties versed in such legal knowledge,
was posted in the county clerks Office.
stating that the last day for filing such
certificates was Monday. the 10th. This
seems to have been accepted as the true
date, without further inquiry bv all
parties directly concerned. These cor
tificates have to be signed by the chair
man and secretary of the convention,
and also by the executive committee.
f. NJ. Whitmore was chairman of the
republican convention, and before he
| left for his home at Antelope he signed
some papers as chairman, and went
home, under the impression that he had
done everything required in that
capacity. About two weeks ago, bow
ever, the county committee employed
j. w. Caldwell to draw up the GER
tificates. They were thereafter sent
up to F. Nj. Whitmore, whose post
office is Pine Grove to be signed by
him. The severe storm was raging at
that time, and he did not get his mail.
The letter remained at the Pine Grove
office. Becoming anxious the tele-
phone was called into service. Mr..
Whitmore was apprised last Friday of
the fact that the certificates had to be
signed and filed by Monday. He re-
piled that he would be on hand. Sun
day he left home for Jackson, and got
the official papers on his way, and
| brought them to Jackson. He met
DR.. GALL the secretary of the conven-
ton, the same night, and it Was agreed
that the business should be attended
to the first thing next morning. Short
ly after noon Monday the certificates
were duly signed by the chairman and
secretary, and turned over to j. W.
Caldwell, for him to get the other sig
natures necessary, and it is claimed
that he promised to see that they we're
filed in time. After getting the other
signatures, he as notary public, went
to F. M. Whitmore to swear to the
affidavit attached to the certificate. 1t
was about dark by this time, and after
Office hours. Mr.. Caldwell says he saw
the county clerk, and he said he would
be in his office about Z o'clock With
the certificates all complete, attorney
Caldwell repaired to the clerks Office
to file the papers but he found the door
locked. although gas jet was burning
therein. After waiting around couple
of hours he learned that county clerk
9. l.. Culbert had gone to Amador
City. and his deputy, J. r. Huberty,
had left for San Andreas. A consulta-
tion was held as to what should be
done with the certificates under the
circumstances, resulting in the papers
being pushed under the door of the
clerks Office about half-past nine
clock, where they were found by the
| janitor when he went to turn out the
light before IL o'clock. Both sides, up
to this time, seem to have been under
the impression that if the papers were
filed before midnight it would be with
in the law.
| The next morning the clerk was
asked to file the papers on the 10th. the
date when they were deposited in his
office. He said he would have to look
up the law. The district attorney was
appealed to, and gave written opinion
on the matter advising the clerk not to
file the documents.
| County clerk Culbert denies that he
promised to be in his Office after supper
to file the certificates; there was moth
| ing said about certificates, but simple
matter of transfer was referred to. On
the advice of the district attorney the
papers. The effect of this will be to
keep the candidates off the printed
ballots as regular republican nominees.
| In this Knockout emergency con-
sultatlon was held Wednesday, at
1 VI. III,
two of the candidates affected were
present. 1t was found on looking
into the law that Saturday and not
Monday was the last day for filing GER
tificates, although if the certificates
had been filed on the 10th it would
then have devOlved upon the clerk to
place the names of the candidates upon
the ballot. After consideration it was
determined that the only way out was
to circulate petitions in the various
districts for place on the ticket as in
| dependent candidates. These petitions
must contain the names of three per
cent of the number of voters at the
last election. 1t will take about 30
names in township one, and less than
20 in the other townships. Certificates
of independent nominees can be filed
with the clerk not less than 20 davs
before the election. Next Tuesday is
therefore the last day for filing.
| The muddle is to be deplored. 1t is
simply owing to inattention on the
part of those entrusted with such mat
ters. That is all there is to it. 1t is
no use trying to seek scapegoat to
bear the blame. The republican
ticket is handicapped seriously by this
| blunder, because stamp within the
square opposite the name of each of
our supervisors is now absolutely nee
essary to get vote counted. An X
marked in the square for straight re-
publican ticket will not count for super
visors without the additional X in the
square opposite the name of the super
visor candidate. On the other hand,
a cross in democratic straight ticket
space will count for every candidate of