The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-10-29
ELECTION HELD N MEXICO,
LITTLE INTEREST MANIFESTED
AND COMPARATIVELY FEW
BALLOTS ARE CAST.
Probably no Legal Choice is Made as
Less Than 10000 Of the $4,000 Per.
sons Eligible to Vote Are Believed
to Have Participated I'm the Election
Catholic Party Claims Lead.

Catholic Party Claims Lead.
Mexico City, Oct. 26.-At the close
or the elections today the indications
were that not sufficient votes had
been cast in Mexico to constitute a le-
gal choice for the presidency to sue
ceed. Gen. Huerta. No official an
nouncement was made tonight, but II
was unofficially estimated that less
than 10000 of the so, eligible vot-
ers In the republic went to the polls.
1t will be no surprise to congress, the
members of which also were voted
for today, declares the elections void
when that body Is organ:- and r,
vises the returns.
The leaders of the Catholic party
claimed long lead. although they
were unable to ESTIMATE the number
OF votes polled for their candidates.
Federico GambOa and Gen. Rascoh.
if this claim Is correct, it Is gen.
orally thought that Gen. Felix Diaz
and Senior Requena ran second. The
Liberal candidates. Manuel Calero
and Flores Magon, had no printed
tickets at the polling places. the con-
stituents being obliged to write their
names on blank ballots.
President Huerta did not vote. He
spent the day at his suburban home.
decree will be issued by Gen.
Huerta increasing the Army from
$4,000 men. It's alleged present num-
Der, to 100000. Since the deputies
and senator's are not subject to the
election provisions governing the pres
idential elections, it tonight is said
that the choice Of congress is assured.
1t In assumed that the Catholic party
will have a majority in both cham
bers.
There was no semblance of disorder
In any quarter Of the city. A few
patrols were on the streets, but
neither police nor troops had any but
their usual duties to perform.
The polling places opened at 8
o'clock in the morning and remained
open until noon, when the attendants
closed the booth until 3 o'clock In
the afternoon for the midday meal.
They were reopened at 3 and closed
again at 6 o'clock.
From to s o'clock, officials, one
OF whom was designated president"
were In attendance at each polling
place. These officials represented the
various parties and assisted in the
preparation OF the ballot when neces-
sary, but offered no coercion or sug-
gestion as to how the applicant should
vote. ..', {
The election officials appeared to be
a representative class Of citizens
clerks, small business men, railroad
employees and shop keepers. SO far
as could be ascertained no govern
ment employees served. Each polling
place had a table on which were
spread tickets Of the various candi-
dates. From these the voters made
his selection. signed, folded and de-
livered 1t in the presence Of the voter
in the ballot box. Ballot boxes con-
sisted Of all sorts Of receptacles from
a paste board shoe box to plush COW
cred jewel casket. or glass Jar bOr-
rowed from a neighboring drug store.
There was no secrecy about the vot-
ing.
AS the vote was deposited the name
was checked on the registration list
previously prepared through personal
visits of a designated official to the
houses in his Jurisdiction. 1t was not
left to the volition of the eligible citi-
zen to register his name on the list
II he were entitled by residence, age
and other requirements to cast
vote.
\ Manual CalerO. Liberal candidate
who was once ambassador at Wash
ington. did not vote, instead, he took
his family early In the day into the
country.
Federico GambOa, candidate Of the
Catholic party, on the other hand,
cast a ballot for Senior CalerO. Neith-
er OF these candidates cared to ex.
press an opinion as to whether a suf-
ficient number OF ballots had been
deposited to make the elections ef-
fective.
Few Of those who went to the poles
took the trouble to vote either for
senators or deputies.
Icy n ayr,V V1.so ~ loo 90