Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-12-16
DUNNEIS To ISSUE
SEATS FOR THREE
Told by Lucey He Must Sign
Certificates of Election to
Assembly for Democrats.
CONTESTS TO BE FILED
Republican Leaders Denounce Course
of State Canvassine Board
as Unwarranted.

Springfield, ILL.,, Dec. 16.-Governor
Dunno will issue certificates of cleo
tion to the three democrats who were
held by the state canvassing board on
Monday to be entitled to seats in the
legislature. The democrats thus are
assured of control in the senate.
This was announced in Springfield
last night after Attorney General P.
J, Lucey had given the governor an
opinion holding that his duties are
purely ministerial, and that he can
take no other course than act in ac-
cordance with the report signed by
State Auditor James J. Brady and
State Treasurer William Ryan, Jr..
who constitute a legal majority of the
canvassing board.
Opposed to the Action.
The governor, as we'll as Secretary
of State Lewis G. Stevenson and the
attorney general, was opposed to the
action of Brady and Ryan. The Brady
Ryan report went back of the returns
certified by county clerks, which
showed that a republican had won in
each of the three instances. Steven
son and Lucey. however, did not vote
against the Brady-Ryan report, merely
refusing to sign it.
THE duties of the governor are pure
ly ministerial, as are those of the sec
retary of state, in the matter of is
suing certificates of election said At
torney General Lucey in his opinion
given to the governor.
Mr.. Lucey held further that the gov
ernor is not a member of the board;
that the board merely acts in his pres
ence, and that it is his province to
proclaim the action of the board, or of
it's majority He held that two MEM
bers clearly are a majority under the
law.
Those Who Get Certificates.
The three democrats who will get
certificates of election are Thomas F.
Byrne in the eleventh district and
Joseph Strauss in the twenty-third,
both of whom will serve in the SEN
ate from Cook county, and Robert
Howard of Mattoon, who will have
seat in the house from the thirty-fourth
district
Republicans who lose out, although
they won, according to the certificates
of county clerks, are P. G. Baldwin of
Chicago and Henry w. Austin of Oak
Park, candidate for the senate, and
E. Walter Green of Kinsbury, candi-
date for the house.
Republican leaders were incensed
over the action of the democratic can
vassing board. They declared it alb
solutely unwarranted and that a re-
count. of the ballots would show the
republicans had been elected They
that the irregularities alleged
as having taken place during the can
vass before local boards were trumped
up for the occasion and would be dis
proved if the ballots are opened.
Contests Will Be Filed.
Contests will be filed by the three
in the legislature. With
the democrats in control of the senate
there is considerable doubt whether
the republicans will be able to get
recount there. In the house, where |
the republicans control by a narrow
margin, recount in the thirty-fourth |
district case is more certain.
1ne TWO houses VIII De made up as |
follows as a result of the action of the /
state canvassing board:
Senate-Democrats, 81; republicans, |
II; progressives, 1.
House-Republicans, rs; democrats.
Il; progressives, 2; socialists, 2.
Defeated republican county candi-
iates are not having much success in |
-aising funds necessary for a contest
against the successful democrats. The
natter was discussed yesterday at a
Meeting of candidates and a subcom-
nittee of the republican county COM
nittee, but no definite action was
AIKEN.
The committee will meet again to-
morrow, at which it may decide to
rop the contests.