The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-02-16


ton, said, Tuesday noon. that he
would begin proceedings at once be-
fore the supreme court to mandamus
the county election commission to
print his name on the ballot
Mr. Miller said:
II wish to protest In the strongest
terms against the decision Of the cleo
ton commission. The practical effect
of It will be to disfranchise at least
so per cent OF the voters in Wayne
county who vote at the coming pr.
mary election. II understand the
ruling OF the commission correctly. II
Is their intention to leave blank
spaces on the ballot to be used In
making nominations for prosecuting
attorney. Voters must write the name
OF their candidate In these blanks. II
Is perfectly obvious that many OF the
voters will fail to express any prefer
ence as to the nomination for this Of
fee. This is a situation which for
one do not look upon with favor.
want full expression at the primaries
from the voters Of the whole county,
and II after such expression they de
eide that they do not approve Of my
candidacy, shall be entirely satisfied
with their decision. But I do not
wish this nomination to be determined
by the vote OF q very small minority,
a. II will be II the expressed intention
OF the commissioners Is carried out.
az do not consider that the decis-
ion OF the board Is sound legally. The
section OF the law on which the COM
mission acted provides that whenever
- t~I a. hn M ~
fll any vacancy in any ONCE, the can
didates for which are regularly nom
mated In accordance with the provis
ions of this act. q special primary cleo
ton for all political parties shall be
held - - The section further pro-
vides that when such special election
IL held no names shall be printed upon
the ballots.
This In obviously intended to meet
the emergency which occurs when an
ONCE II to be filled at . time when
no regular election occurs. Such II
not the case here. A regular election
at which state and county ofiicers will
be chosen occurs In April. A regular
primary election for the nomination OF
such candidates occurs on March next.
II has been determined by proper
authorities that the once Of prosecut-
Ing attorney shall be filed by election
at the April election. This determin-
alton was before the time expired for
fling nominating petitions for that
primary election.
The three candidates for the once
OF prosecuting attorney actually and
in fact complied with the law and filed
such nominating petitions. Under
these circumstances I consider that
even though the choice Of prosecute
Ing attorney may be said. by the exes
else of the most hairsplitting techni-
'calities. to be At a special election,
such special election IL merged In the
general election. I do not see how N
Is possible to hold q special primary
election and general primary cleo
ton in the same booth, at the same
time, under the same officers and un
der the same law. am further abso-
lutely convinced that the public inter
est imperatively demands that the
ballot In this case be printed 20 that
he voters may know by inspection OF
the ballot who the candidates are.
and In this conviction l do not con.
slider In any manner the effect Of the
printing or non-printing of my name
upon the ballot upon my chances for
the nomination"