The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1904-02-18


of all, it shows that very large per
cent Of populists-regardles of local
ity-are in favor of Thomas e. Wat
son of Georgia for the presidential
nominee this year. Secondly, 1t shows
that large rer cent OF them want
William v. Allen of Nebraska as his
running mate. Were The Independent
called upon to decide between Watson
& Allen and Alien & Watson-after
eliminating the matter of state pride
it would be puzzled TO know which
to choose.
In the third place, The Independents
''straw vote" shows that very few
mistakes are made in voting the pre-
ferential ballot. Eight null votes"
out of 1876, is trifle more than 2 per
cent; and an inspection OF the eight
ineffective ballots shows that the vot-
ers were possessed of chat spirit OF
cocksureness which often causes men
to err. Instead of reading the IL
structions in regard TO the proper
manner of voting, most of them made
a cross instead Of using figures to ex-
press preference. Where only one
cross was made, the vote was counted
as first choice; but where two names
were marked, each with cross, there
was no way of determining the voters
preference, and his ballot went INTO
the nulP' pile. One voter expressed
double Spreference, voting two "fIst
choice" two second, etc., making 1t
impossible to count his ballot-it could
not be placed in two piles at the same
time.
The count was made as follows:
Large cards were prepared each con-
tainlng the name OF one OF the candl-
dates named in the ballot; another
was labelled Scattering and one
was marked "null votes" These cards
were arranged on large table IN tle
same order as the candidates' names
appeared on the ballot, followed by the
scattering and null'' cards.
The ballots were then taken up and
inspected to find the voters first
choice. If it was Watson, tie ballot
was placed below the Watson card;
if Allen, below Aliens card; il for
some person whose name was not
printed in the ballot, in the scat
tering'' pile; if the first choice could
not be ascertained the ballot went in
to the null votes" pile.
When this first distribution was
made it was found that w. S Morgan
and James H Ferriss had not re-
ceived a single first choice vote; and
the remaining ten candidates had bal
lots as follows: Overs l, Watson III,
Williams 7, Weller 2, Breidenthai 4,
Brown 1 Livingston l. Calderhead 3,
Allen 1877, Barker 80. There were 81
ballots in the scattering" pile, cast
as follows: w. ]. Bryan Y, I. II.
Tibbles 3, Col S. F. Norton 3, Gen.
Nelson A. Miles 2, Marion Butler 2,
and G. w. Berge, Tom l.. Johnson,
John o. label, Milton Park. Fred g.
r. Gordon. A. T.. Minis. Frank /.
Richey, William r. Hearst and James
B. Weaver had one each. Tliore were
ballots In the null pile.
While some of the scattering can
didates had more first choice votes
than several of the regular candi-
dates, 1t was thought proper to elm
mate the entire 81 votes first These
ballots were then taken up and re-
distributed according TO second choice.
An inspection of the abstract will
show that 8 of these went 20 Watson.
2 10 Williams | each to Bresienthai.
Brown and Livingston, 2 to Barker,
and 2 were "nnll' because no second
choice had been marked.
Judge overs having the lowest num-
her. his ballot was redlstrlbnted. II
went To Allen. who was the voters
second choice.
Il. Gerry Brown being now one of
the "low men, HIS two votes were
rcdlstrihuted going one each TO Wat
son nnd Wellcr,
A. ". Livingston was eliminated
next. both his votes golns 10 harkef.
weller'a three votes were now ic-
distributed. Holng one each 60 Wat
son. nrelaenthal. aud taldeFhead
calderhead IA iopped ont NEAT, Three
OF bis supporters hal expressed Io pre-
ference for second choice aud their