The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1910-11-12

Guthrie, Okla, Nov. 12.--Under d.
rection of the democratic state COM
mittee, the contesting of the vote on
various candidates in every precinct
where the democrats believe negroes
were not entitled tc do so under the
"granfather clause" began yesterday
with the filing Of contests in twelve
precincts. OF Logan county, fifteen Of
Kingfisher, sixteen of Lincoln and two
of Noble. 1t is understood that con-
tests win also be started by democrats
lin several other republican counties
having heavy negro population, the
list including Creek, Blaine, Garfield.
Hughes and Oklahoma counties. The
contests are being brought by the local
democratic candidates who are defeat
led upon the face Of the precinct re.
turns. The plan is to have the whole
vote from a precinct thrown out when
lit is made to appear to the county
election board that illegal votes were
cast.
Attorney General West, however, in
an opinion to the secretary of tfle
Noble county election board, held that
votes, although they may have been
illegal, must be counted by the county
boards if it does not appear upon the
face of the returns that the fact that
they are illegal is not a matter OF
common knowledge.
BY contests brought in many negro
lprecincts the democrats hope to prove
Ilax enforcement of the grandfather
clause" in republican counties and to
change the results in many instances
ION county and legislative candidates.
1t is also planned to base congressional
contests in the First and Second dis
ltricts upon these local contests.
The republicans on the other hand,
lin addition to their action upon cleo
tion day in having scores of demo
cratic election officials arrested for al.
lleged violation of the federal suffrage
laws, expect to contest the results on
Congressman in the Third district
where democrat was elected, and to
checkmate the contests of the demo
Gratis which they may bring in the
Second and First congressional dis
tricts.
If the democrats succeed in having
1.-THE votes of all precincts where illegal
negro votes were cast thrown out by
county boards, the republicans figure
that $500 white votes also will be dis
franchised in forty-one precincts in
which the democrats already have
started contests before the county
boards.
J. L. Hamon, republican member of
the state election board, has sub
mitted a request of the state election
board that State Republican Chairman
James Harris, ]. w. McNeal, defeated
REPUBLICAN candidate for governor, and
Republican National Committeeman
Cash Cade be permitted to be present
at the meeting of the board when the
state count is made officially, but the
request was denied.
Following the filing of twelve con.
ltests before the Logan county election
board by democrats Friday, requesting
1.-THE board to throw out the total vote
iof all precincts where any illegal negro
Ivotes were cast. the two democratic
members Of the board resigned last
might and Seth K. Gordon, secretary
of the state election board, came to
Guthrie last night to appoint their
successors. Some Of the democratic
election boards, it is said, have refused
to throw out whole precincts and are
adhering to the opinion of Attorney
General West as to the count, and fric
/ tion OF this kind with the state board
is supposed to be responsible for the
designations in Logan county.
i P. A.. Shinn, an attorney of Paw
huska, yesterday fled a complaint with
United States District Attorney John
Embry ON behalf Of Tom Mosier. full
blood Usage Indian, that several
Osages were denied interpreters by the
election officers, making it impossible
for them to qualify to vote. 1t is al
legged also that Cherokee Indians In
gaif county were excluded By deny