The De Soto County news. [volume] (Arcadia, Fla.) 1898-1924, 1916-08-17
Cats. BLOCKS
COUNT FOR TINE
KNOTT TAKES \ HARD RAP
At CATS. SAYS THE So.
pREME COURT FULLY
SUSTAINED HIS LEGAL
RATTLE TO SECURE FAIR
1ND HONEST COUNT.

Tallahassee, Aug. 1G.-In a
statement issued mere, w. V.
Knott. contesting for the nominal
tion for governor, declares that
tbe Cats attorneys are ccntering
,heir efforts now with the sole de.
sire of delaying the announce
ment that Knott is the nominee
IN order to carry on II campaign
If Misrepresentation. The state
ment, in part, follows:
4The continued and persistent
efforts of Mr.. Cats AMI his at
tornevs to prevent the correction
of the errors manifest and appa'
rent on the face of the tally
sheets and to arrive at an honest
and correct count of the votes
cast in the primary June 6 would
Indicate they know that an hon.
est count will determine that 1
was nominated in that primary,
and further that they have been
caught with the goods, and their
bitterness is about to be expos.
ed.
an this Putnam county case
their demurrer to my petition
contains siXty-seven objections,
which the court declared were
each and every one without mer.
II. To prevent an honest and fair
count Mr.. Cats and his attOr.
news are imposing every possible
legal objection, and are cndeav.
cring by all sorts and kinds of
technicalities to prevent and de.
lay the announcement of the re.
suit of an honest count to gain
time to carry on their campaign
Of malicious falsehoods and mis-.
representations.
"My purpose in bringing the
proceedings in the court is clear.
ly expressed by the supreme
court itself in the decision in the
Putnam county case, in the fol.
loving language:
"'The purpose of this writ is
not to force the respondents TO
perform the act of changing or
varying the number of votes cast
ior the candidates for democratic
nominee for governor but 1t is
10 require an accurate count and
return to be made as actually
cast by the electors at the polls,
duty imposed by law
Counsel for Mr.. Cats have
reiterated before the supreme
court and seem to place their
greatest dependence upon the ar.
gament that the count of the bal.
iO's as returned by the inspect.
Os on June 6 was final, and
should not he disturbed. Not on.
y mas this been the argument Of
eouhsel, but on il is based the
whole Independent candidacy
ana campaign Of Mr.. Cats. The
supreme court denied this conten.
uVn 10 no uncertain language:
stripped of all legal techni
whites what I am contending
'~ IS an honest and true count
y me votes cast in the late pri.
s sarv' as actually marked by the
''ec'ois-no more, no less. The
s 4; court of Florida has said
~ uilnlstakable language that
m's result ought to be arrived at
NJ" must be arrived at if posi-.
~ ~ 10 ascertain this result is
ass'' both in law and in morals.
4, IS necessary to the preserva.
~ ppu OF the democratic partv of
~. 'yriua; it is necessary that law.
s D. and good government NAV
a ~e,aii IN Florida. and I shall
Ib'inue to contend for this until
s,;n Ne accomplished it, and the
n, Vi the people as expressed
Il. mem through their votes is
a;a9 clear and certain. 7 pre.
AL a the result of this litiga.
NV 6ya because knew that law and a.,
iba a'ee would prevail, and that
noa courts of Florida could be re.
hoao. upon to do the legal and
"0nest thing.
,.ta am confident when the mis- ,
~ and errors are eliminated
NJ H the returns of June 6 that
l1a. corrected returns will show
NJ ! am the democratic nominee
.IanS oVernor. As such nominee 7
M wage a vigorous campaign.
n ~ y my individual interest. but
ray ~ interest of the great demo. =
|nso, party of Florida: in the q
|Ioos. OF the purity of cleo. t
Ipal N the interest of the gen. c
II nv, ~ellare of the whole people a
|lat % o' and I have no doubt G
me honesty and good sense