Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-12-17
Monday, December II, 1906.
The Journals Position on the Ninth
Hour Recount.


toned the legal right Of any candidate
whose name was on the ballot at the
fall election to inspect the ballots in
the presence of the clerk of the town or
city in which they were thrown. On
the contrary we distinctly affirmed this
right in referring to Republican
candidate who was criticised by the
Dem ocratic managers for venturing to
exercise it in several instances without
Democratic assistance. Our criticism
of the Democratic managers rested
upon a very different basis. We called
attention to the fact that the SUCCESS
ton for a joint committee of Republic
cans and Democrats to count these
ballots came from the Democratic
managers. with the suggestion that the
report of committee SO constituted,
following such a fair and impartial in
spection of the ballots, could be ac-
cepted by both parties as accurate and
final This proposition was accepted
by the Republicans in good faith, and
n joint committee composed Of candi-
dates on both the Republican and
Democratic county tickets took up this
work.
No man will for a moment question
the integrity or fair dealing of any one
of the members of this committee.
They were clean and honorable men in
every way qualified to perform this
important task thoroughly and we'll.
Nowhere have we seen any intimation
that their work was not done faith
fully and accurately. The report of
this joint committee. signed by all its
members. was published in both the
Republican county papers. The Re-
publicans, recognizing the fact that
they had tacitiy agreed to accept the
report of this joint committee, did so
in entire good faith. and. notwith-
standing the fact that a majority of
the candidates upon their ticket were
shown to be defeated. not one of them
has sought to disparage and re-
pudiatc the work of the committee by
demanding n further count. Under
such circumstances it is certainly
strange to find the Democratic man.
ayers who first suggested the joint
committee, and who were. therefore.
under peculiar obligations to have ac
ceptcd it's findings in the same good
faith as did the Republicans, openly
a:pcrsing it's labors by calling for
new count in the interests of Mr..
Rnarlon.
Now we have good grounds for as
sorting that Mr.. ReardOn himself did
not ask for this recount and was not
personally party to it, 1t is obvious
therefore that the call for it emanated
from the same Democratic managers
who proposed the joint canvassing
committee!
Mr. Williamson says that the Re-
publican senatorial candidates We're
notified of the proposed recount! But
he does not present any good reason
why they should have been hidden to
any such a ninth hour review OF the
findings of the joint committee. They
had cheerfully accepted the suggestion
of the Democratic managers that such
n committee be constituted, and they
had accepted the results of it's labors
in entire good faith. They supposed
that the Democratic managers had
done the same. When. therefore. these
managers decided to repudiate the
work of the joint committee formed at
their suggestion. there was not the
slightest reason in the word why :hcse
Republicans should join i'll such a Pre-
ceeding. To their credit be it said
that they refused 10 he parties to it.
Mr.. Williamson says that the former
inspection of the ballots in this CITY
was made On a Saturday and that it
was announcement for Mr.. Rcar;,on,
who is a settled minister OF The gospel,
to attend. Under such circumstances
it was the plain duty OF Mr.. Reardon
and his friends, il they were unwilling
to trust his interests to the joint COM
mittee. to have asked for a postpone
ment of the inspection both in Augusta
and in Waterville, where it was made
Oh Sunday. The members of the COM
mittee We're gentlemen. two of them
colleagues of MIR. Reardon on the
Democratic county ticket, and might
certainly been depended upon to have
promptly granted such a fair and rea-
sonable request. even if it had involved
some Inconvenience to themselves. AS
matter Of fact no such request was
ever made to the joint committee
ihere was. at no time during its
lanors. any intimation that Mr.. Rear.
don and his friends We're not entirely
willing to leave his interests in II.