Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-08-09
CAUCUS TANGlE.
Democrats Of Brunswick Are in p.o,,,
liar Dilemma.

brunswick, Me-, Aug. S.-The Demo-
Gratis of Brunswick are in a mudd,o
Last week the party held its caucus for
the nomination of candidates for renre-
sentatives to the Legislature and made
its nominations in what was +b.r
thought to be the proper method. The
names Of the nominees Were sent in tbe
regular way to the secretary of State
and the party rested on it's oars until
the day should come for polling The
votes at the State election.
After the meeting was over Soma
members of the party hunted up the
Public Laws of the State passed at the
last session of the Legislature and were
thrown into a fit of terror when the
following section caught their eyes.
| Section Z. All votes for the election
of delegates to any political convention
for the nomination of a candidate for
|any public office shall be by ballot
written or printed, on plain paper"
| 1t was recalled that at the caucus
which had just adjourned the candi
dates had been elected by rising vote
and the leaders of the party were at
once called in solemn conclave to de-
eide whether the election was not il
legal under this newly discovered sec
tion. No one could give an authorita-
tive answer to the problem, but the
party determined to be on the safe side
and it was agreed that a new caucus
had better be called and a new election
held of candidates for representatives
to the Legislature. A new call was
therefore drawn up and posted for
caucus to be held, next Friday evening.
The new notice was not posted until
II o'clock, Saturday evening, last, and
the time allowed between it's issuing
and the hour for the caucus it would
lappear, is not of the length required by
the act referred to above, under which
such caucuses are called and held. The
section is as follows:
Section TO- Notices of caucCses
signed by the chairman and secretary,
shall be issued by each town commit
tee not less than seven days prior to the
day on which the caucuses are to be
held"
Still another complication has also
arisen to perplex further the dazed
Democrats of Brunswick. Under the
amending chapter of the Australian
ballot law, passed in 1898, it is neces-
Sary that Certificates of nomination
and nomination papers for the nominal
ton of candidates for STA a and county
officers, shall be filed with the secretary
of State at least 80 DAYS exclusive of
Sundays, previous to the day Of eiec-
ton fer which the candidates are nom
irated." Now the election in Maine
comes on September IL and the time
for filing the required certificates eX-
pires. Wednesday next, Aug. 10. 1t is
clearly impossible that candidates to be
chosen, Friday evening next, shall be
certified to the secretary Of State on
the proceeding Wednesday, but the
Brunswick Democrats hope to get
around this difficulty by renominating
the candidates chosen at the former
caucus and have written to Secretary
Boyd to ask that they be accorded
place on the official ballot.
Needless to say there is considerable
excitement and not a little amusement
in Brunswick over the difficulty IN
which the managers find the party and
themselves. Naturally the question is
asked. IF the first election was illegal
how can the certificates of candidates
chosen thereat be considered as COM
plying with the law"