The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1912-12-14
ERROR IN oNTONAGoN BALLOT
GIVES HIM DECISION
QUESTIONED If He WILL ACCEPT
Although Urged to Accept he Refuses to
Comment on the Matter or Indicate
His Decision.

Word came from Lansing l8st Tues
day that the state canvassing board
had decided that Hon. III. .. Young is
the congressman elect from the 18TH
congressional district OF this state by a
plurality OF 2l5 votes. In the unofficial
keturns Macdonald was declared the
Eongressman elect 10y some $50 odd
votes so that the announcement from
Lansing, which arrived In Crystal Falls
10y wire late in the afternoon. came as
great surprise. IL was not until the
papers arrived giving details that the
facts In the case were learned.
Ii seems that in the printing Of the
ballot in Ontonagon county Mr.. Mac.
Donald name appeared as sheldon
william J. Macdonald" and according
to the ruling of the supreme court in a
similar case those votes must be coun-
ted for the name appearing upon the
ballot. In the case at issue the On
tonagon county ballots must he counted
for sheldon William j. Macdonald
leaving no. votes in that county for
William j. Macdonald This takes. l5s
votes from Mr. Macdonald giving Mr..
Yonng the plurality.
The question is 'Wiil Mr. Young
take advantage OF the technicalityy
His friends throughout the district ar
cue that he should do so as Mr. Mac
Donald was not entitled under the law
TO be candidate for congressman at
he election Tor the reason that he was
candidate for prosecuting attorney IN
Houghton county on the republican
primary ballot in August and as such
candidate was enrolled az republican.
He did not re- e-earoll but continues his
name on the republican roll Of Hough-
Ton county. He was defeated in the
g9rimaries for prosecutor by Anthony
lucas AT the same primary Rev.
Rogers OF Ishpsming was nominated by
the Bull Moose party as congressman
from this district
After Mr.. Macdonald was defeated
for prosecutor his enthusiasm for re.
publicanism cooled and he grayitated
TO the bull moosers AT the Escanaba
conference his name WAS substituted
for that OF Rogers. Later the supreme
court held in similar case. that Mr.
Macdonald couldn't legally stand as a
candidate in the bull pocse party and
that his name should be tkaen OF the
ballot. Mr.. Young Immediately came
forward with circular letter saying
that he wanted the election commits
sioners to continue the name Of Mr.
Macdonald on the ticKet and SO no nc
ton was taken by tho commissioners
in any OF the counties OF the district.
Now that the state canvsssing board
has returned Mr.. Young as the CON
gressman elect from the district his
friends think that self abnegation il no
longer in place and many kilograms
and letters have been sent him from
all over the district asking that lie &C
cept the verdict.
Later information deyelopes the fact
that a few days prior 20 the election a
message was received from the secre-
tary of the National Progressive party
advising that Mr.. Macdonald i name il
sYisldon William J. MacDonaldS and
insGucting the commissioners TO have
the name so appear upon the ballot.
The election commissioners complied
with the Instructions 80 that the fault
In no way attributed 10 them.
Later investigation showed that the
error was due to the mistake OF AN OPP
orator in taking Oft the wire message
sent out by Secretary Hoffman Of the
progressive.central committee TO boards
~ election commissioners in the upper
peninsula. The message sent out wac,
Congressman Twelfth district should
be spelled William J Macdonald cor
rect, This message was sent because
the name originally dled by the state
central committee was "WIlliam J
Mcdonald
The message which Mr. Garvin clerk
Ontonagon county, received was
fCongressman Twelfth district should
Ne sheldon William J. Macdonald
Correct.
There isa very great similarity in
the Morse code between the words
spelled and Sheldon and the cr
rot which was undoubtedly made at
the receiving end, was one that easily
might have heen made
The error was an unfortunate one
for Mr. Macdonald IN