Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1911-12-23
CANVASS|NG BOARD
MAY COMPLETE
WORK TODAY
DECISIONS EXPECTED IN
ALL CASES OF DISPUTE
inauguration Committee Still
Hopes That Statehood Proc
lamatiOn viii Permit Cere-
monies On January First,
Especial Dispatch to the uoralng Jou

Especial Dispatch to the Morning Journal. |
santa Fe. \, NJ. Dec. 22.-That the
canyassing board now at work on the
returns of the November election may
complete It's work ANA make its re-
port hy tomorrow evening. was the
pleasing word given out at the close
OF this afternoons session.
1t was announced today that the
matter OF the dispute over the sign
ing OF the returns from the Clayton
precinct win he heard before Justice
McFie at Santa Ne ON Wednesday of
next week. but 1t is not believed that
the board viii await the decision of
the court before disposing OF the pre-
clnct Two courses are open to the
canvassing board. Ii may either aC-
cept ana count the returns as signed
by one judge and one clerk, or II may
reject them altogether as not being a
return within the meaning OF the law.
In either event any person or candi-
date who believes himself injured BY
the decision has his remedy In court.
The most exciting feature Of to-
days session of the board was the
colloquy between former Judge ran
aud Mr. Field, over the returns from
the Carthage precinct of Socorro
county. TN this precinct, 1t win be re-
membered, the charge was made that
the tally sheet had been changed af-
ter II left the hands OF the election
officials and while II was supposed
To be in the custody of the probate
clerk OF 'Socorro county. II was not
contended hy the republican lawyers
that the returns should be counted as
shown by the altered tally sheets, but
they did contend that the result in
the precinct should be canyassed as
shown hy the certificates of the Judges
made on the day of election. This was
opposed 10y Mr. Field who held that
while the obvious erasures and al
teratlons should be dlsregarded, that
the tally sheet as whole should be
accepted for the reason that IL
showed that the democratic can
didates received from five to six
more votes than We're credited TO
them on the certificates The board
has consistently ruled that where
there is a discrepancy between the
tally sheet ana the certificate the tai
" sheet should govern. II made no
exception In this case and ruled In
favor OF Mr. Field. The judges In the
Carthage precinct appeared before the
board today and expressed the opln-
ion that their count had been chang
ed after It had LEFT their hands. There
seems to be little doubt OF this and
those who have examined the papers
express the opinion that the work ot
alteration was clumsy piece OF
business that scarcely should be dig
nified as a case of attempted fraud.
Notwithstanding this. however, II is
the opinion Of attorneys here that II
the person responsible is detected, he
Will be prosecuted to the fun extent
of the law There are two theories as
To the object Of the person who made
the bunglng attempt to alter the re-
turns one Is that the miscreant was
working In the interest Of the demo-
crats and desired to have the entire
precinct, which was strongly repub-
lican thrown out. The other theory
Is that his object was to benefit the
republican candidates for Justice Of
the supreme court and state senator
since these were the only offices that
were affected by the changes.
Tomorrow morning It IL expected
that the board viii hand down deci-
si0ns IN all the matters now in dis
pulr These include the Cuses of the
Mehose precinct In Curry county, and
the Reserve precinct in SocOrro. In
both these precincts no pUll books
were sent with the certificates, though
the pOil lists from Melrose, written
on separate sheets of paner. were ar
terward discovered In the ballot box.
From Reserve WAS furnished a reg
lstration list with the names of the
men who are alleged 10 have voted
marked with check mark.
The work Of checking over the re-
turns from the various precincts aud
correcting the discrepancies between
the certifications and the tally sheets
was completed today. Several chang
rs were nude ia the vote OF the Varl-
ous candidates, but most OF these
were of minor importance. IlXcep-
tlons to this We're In the eases OF Il, IT,
Hanna for the supreme court and AL
Van y. White for superintendent OF
public Instruction. Both Of these
gentlemen made slight gains over the
uncorrected figures.
The prospect OF the board complet-
igs its work tomorrow has revived the
hopes of the inauguration committee
that the inauguration ceremonies may
be held on New Years day II the
report is made tomorrow, It Will have
plenty OF time 10 reach Washington
and be examined by the president in
time for the issuance of the statehood
proclamation SO that 1t can reach
Santa Fee by January /. If this is im-
possible the committee has decided
upon January I as the date OF the
ceremonies