Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-09-26
CONFUSION IN
PRIMARY LAW
6oARO OF cANvAssERs FAILS TO
MEET.
FIGURES NEARLY ALL IN
Nominees viii Not Be Officially IN
formed of Their Right to Sit in
Convention Until Shortly Before
the Platform Meetings Come to
Order

The state board of eanvassers, which
was expected to meet yesterday to
canvass the returns of the recent prl-
mary election and the special election
for ~:ember OF congress in the sec
ond district, did not meet, the read
ing of the law on the subject of the
date of the canvassing session leading
to the conclusion that the date pro-
vided for is next Tuesday and not
yesterday. The primary election law
provides, in section IT, that such
board shall meet at the Office OF the
secretary of state at 10 O'Clock a. m.
on the third Tuesday of September
next after the September primary"
The primaries were held on the first
Tuesday of the month, and the third
Tuesday next after the primary" will
be tne fourth Tuesday of the month,
or September rs.
This situation causes confusion as
to the time specified by the law for
the holding of the party platform con-
ventions. On this point of platform
conventions the law provides, in sec
ton %, that 1.-THE candidates for the
various state offices, and for senate
ar, III rfv4sa k.Al hNr nah
party at such primary, and senator's
of such political party whose term OF
Office extends beyond the first Mon
| day of January of the next year en-
suing shall meet at the capitol at II
| o'clock noon on the fourth Tuesday
of September after the date on which
any primary is held preliminary to
any general election. They shall,
forthwith formulate the state plat
form of their party"
The primary was held on the first
| Tuesday of September. and the fourth
Tuesday after the date on which the
primary is held" would be the fifth
Tuesday of the month, but there are
only four Tuesdays IN September this
year, and it would conseque ntly ap
pear that the law has not provided for
a date for the platform conventions
this year. However, the party chair.
men, in the plain intent of the max
ers of the law, have called the party
conventions for Tuesday, September
%, and then they will be held. Their
propriety and legality of course Wi
not be questioned. But until the
state board of canvassers meets al
10 o'clock next Tuesday 1t will not
be officially determined who has the
right to sit in the conventions and
take part in the deliberations in the
process of platform making. 1t IS
therefore, impossible to send word to
the members of The conventions in
forming them of their credentials
Possibly they can be informally and
pnoficia,iy" informed before that
time and when they appear at the
capitol they can get their certificates.
Most Figures In.
The returns from the recent pri
maries are practically all in and tab
ulated. The figures from Miwau
kee county, however, are still absent
After the returns from this county
are received, Statistical Clerk Conner
ford will complete the tabulation and
make the footings in readiness TO:
the work Of the state board of can
vassers. This board is ordinarily
composed of the secretary of state
state treasurer and attorney general
but as Secretary Houser and Treas
urer Kempf are candidates, they will
not act. On petition Of A. II. Dahl
Chief Justice Cassoday Of the su'
preme court appointed Judge Fowler
of Portage to act, and on petition OF
j. A. Frear the chief justice appoint.
ed Judge Stevens of Madison. NJ
Sturdevant will act.
Votes on Congressman.
Figures obtained from the various
counties in the second congressional
district show the vote In the special
election for member of congress to
fill the vacancy caused by the death
of the late H. c. Adams, as follows:
/ John NJ. Nelson, Madison ,... 10,098
Grant Thomas, Madison ...... 3,7C3
Nelson's majority ..,....... $685.
The vote in the primaries In the
seconu district IN the republican nom
nation for me.uber Of congress for
the full term beginning March d. 1907,