The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1916-06-16
COURTS WILL SETTLE
G0VERN0R'S RACE
Cats and Knott Each Claim
Majority-Ballots to be
RecOunted.

The closeness of the race between
Rev. Sidney J. Cats and Hon. w. V.
Knott for the governorship in last
weeks primaries is bound to develon
a contest which can only be settled
by the courts and recount of the bal
lots. That the trouble is due to the
complications Of the Bryan primary
law (or rather the inability of cam
vasing boards to understand it) in the
matter of the tabulation of returns, is
apparent.
Leading newspapers throughout the
State are conceeding that Mr.. Cats
has very small majority on the face
OF the returns, and at Mr.. Cats
headquarters in Jacksonville the infor-
nation has been given out that Cats
is in the lead by 400 votes.
At the Knott headquarters no fig
ures have been given but the claim
is made that Mr.. Knott has safe ma
jority over Cats on the face of the
returns on first and second choice
votes.
Men who are posted regarding the
primary law and the way it has been
interpreted by the various inspectors
and county canvassing boards, say
that there are complications which
can only be settled by the courts, and
that in many counties the court will
be obliged to go behind the returns
to get the facts.
An instance of how a county
canvassing board may err in tabu-
lation of returns is shown in the Of
fetal report from Escambia county as
published Wednesday morning in the
Pensacola Journal. This report gives
the figures on Congressman used in
this illustration.
There were four candidates for
congress in the race-Kehoe, Smith
wick, Stephens and Watson. The two
latter being the low men were elimi-
mated. Kehoe received 1910 first
choice vtoes and 872 seconds; Smith
wick received ! ,46I hrsts and 998 Sec
onds, according to the returns. But
as Stephens and Watson, the elimi-
mated candidates received but a total
Of 536 first choice votes, and as it is
the second choice votes from their
tickets only which must be added to
the kehoe and Smithwick vote, it is
difficult for the average man to un-
derstand how they could be accredited
each with more second choice votes
than the total first votes given to The
candidates.
What has happened in Escambia
county has been duplicated in many
other counties Of the State, end for
this reason it is certain that the
courts will be obliged to settle the
question as to who is the legal candi-
date of the democratic party for Gov
arnor.
There have been rumors of disap-
pearing ballot boxes and other at
frauds, but these rumors
should not be taken seriously. There
will be no fraud in the counting Of
these ballots.
The day of stuffed ballots and ma
nipulated returns in Florida has pass
ed. never to return. If any man
should attempt to thwart the will Of
the people of Florida as expressed at
The polls, the States prison stares
that man in the face as certainly as
he sun shines.
If Mr.. Cats has the majority vote
over Mr.. Knott, then Mr.. Cats should |
and will be officially proclaimed the
democratic nominee for Governor of |
Florida, and no man IN the State will
submit more gracefully to that eX-
of the people than William
Y. Knott. What we say of Mr..
Knott, we believe can as truthfulIy be
,aid of Mr.. Cats. All these gentle
men want, is to know what this eX-
pressed will of the people is. Time
will tell-for it takes time to recount
,allots and tabulate returns on near
Y $4,000 ballots.
In the meantime we can all IN
lulge ourselves in denouncing the
3ryan primary law as too intricate
or profitable use in Florida, and urge
lpon the incoming legislature the ne
essity of its repeal and the enact
nent in its place of a primary law
hat will be so simple that a way
airing man though a little light in the
lpper story, may read end understand
: :, ,,,ppiDu