Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-05-13
BALLOTS THROWN OUT.
Claimed AS Cause of Taft's Losing
Massachusetts in Primaries.

from the recent recount of the vote
for Taft delegates at large in the state
primaries Gen. Edgar r. Champlin of
the Taft League of Massachusetts, to-
night, issued a statement in which
he claims that enough ballots were
thrown cut in the primaries TO have
elected the entire ticket for Taft dele
gates at large to the Republican Ma
tionaI Convention.
Gen. Champlin also answers a re-
cent letter from Matthew Hale of the
Massachusetts Roosevelt committee
in which the latter asked If the Taft
managers in Massachusetts were to
follow Col. Roosevelts policy OF re-
linouisiing control of delegates elect
ed for him where President Tart re-
eeived the Presidential preference
vote. Mr.. Hale claimed that In two
Massachusetts, districts Roosevelt re
ceived the preference vote where lait
delegates were elected.
Gen. Champlin's statement and let
ter are as follows:
"Ne endeavored to secure recount
I'm every city and all the large towns
within which il could be done nave
made 1T Impossible to recount tue en-
tire state. May 10th. reports OF the
from 25 cities and 129 towns, whaeh
The extent of the undertaking and the
short time prescribed by the statute
recounts were filed at headquartefs
gave the Crane delegation SAILS votes
n those same places there welre si94
haliots deemed invalid and not counted
eixine votes TO the Taft eight dele
eates mt large. This is equivalent To
IL ner cent loss The balance of the
state vote as originally reported foi
tbe Taft delegation from the cite
and towns not reeounted, was ZltS4s'
II is well known that in these places
rho same mistake was made by the Ike
nnbIican voters, and il is fair to as
sumo that the percentage OF loss wa
fhe same as in the places alfeauN
counted. viz. Is per cent. or S2Ib. II
ie therefore apparent that the total
vote for the Taft delegation was ap
nroximatelv Se,Ss7, or 1882. in excess
Of the delegation fayoring Col. Roose-
velt. which is practically the same a
The excess in the preferential vote foi
President Taft
I'VE have closed our headquarters ~
the specific work for which the organ
ization was formed has been eompiet-
ed with the practical ending OF the re-
count of votes for delegates t-larse.
The recount verifies the original anu
nudisputed count which showed that
President Taft was and is the choice
of the majority of the Republicans OF
this state as the nominee for President
ard il also shows that it was the esi-
dent desire of the same Republican
majority to have the Taft delegates
at large headed by Senator Crane, rep
resent them at the Republican Nation
al conventions; that this group OF del
egates received Approximately the
same number of votes in excess of their
opponents as did President Taft over
Col. Roosevelt, and as did the TAFT
alternate delegates admitted
ly over those opposed to them.
THE actual situation is as follows;
On the preferential vote President
Taft has plurality over Col. Roose-
Welt of approximately $500. From nine
congressional districts there are Is
Taft delegates elected. From five con-
gressionai districts there are 10 Roose-
Welt delegates. The eight Taft alternate
delegates headed by Gov. Long, are
elected
The eight delegates-at- large favor
able to Col Roosevelt will appear by
the final returns to have been elected
but the recount shows, however, that
majority of the Republicans endeav-
ored to elect the Taft delegation and
would evidently have done so but for
the fact that more than $4,000 Taft Re
publicans voted for the entire eight
headed by Senator Crane, and also
for one additional delegate. which has
prevented these 1900 ballots from be-
ing counted.
The letter TO Mr.. Hale is as follows:
''Your favor of the 18th instant, in
wiling an expression of opinion from
the Taft League of Massachusetts as
to the duty of delegates pledged to
Taft elected in two districts where the
preferential vote was favorable to Col
Roosevelt, is at hand
81 do not feel authorized to speak
for the Taft organization and especial
" upon a subject which seems to mo
is entirely beyond the jurisdiction of
the Taft League of Massachusetts
1--WE were formed for the purpose
of presenting to the Republicans OF
Massachusetts the reasons for favor
ing Mr.. Tafts nomination, and to help
elect delegates favorable to him Hav-
ng done that. and with the recount
substantially closed. I believe that our
iabors are over. and I think it would
be taken as presumptuous If I were
to attempt to instruct any delegate as
10 his duty in this matter.
81 would, however. suggest for you,
consideration the fact that Chapter IA
of the acts of the current year. which
provide for the primary, seems to con-
template an expression of the voters up
on the preferential question only by the
state at large and not by subdivisions
u the state, either cities, towns or con-
gressional districts.
.'Section states, And each voter may
express his preference for such candi-
dates in the same manner as in voting
for candidates for state Offices to be
voted for by all the voters of the COM
monwealth.' and further down in the
same section the statute provides The
votes cast for preference shall be re-
turned and canvassed in the same man
mo- ne in no ff ff.,. - ,tf