The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1916-11-15
VIII SON GIVEN ELECTORAL
MAJORITY BY UNOFFICIAL
count; c. O.P. DISPUTES

of the states electoral vote of thirteen.
Out of the $3.50 precincts in Cali
fornia, 5,805 counted gave this vote ::
Wilson, 464,4 97; Hughes, 461, 385.
Chester H. Rowel, chairman of the
republican state central committee,
conceded the state to Wilson with the
following statement: Except in the
case of some exceptional happening,
Wilson has carried California"
Legal Fight Planned.
California, which had wavered for
two days between Wilson and Hughes
settled all doubt as to the outcome
of the election late Thursday night,
when the lead of the president was in
creased so that with but sixty-fve dis
tricts missing his plurality was re-
ported at 3,112
In New Mexico he took the lead
from Hughes and was 1884 votes
ahead with 1913 districts unreported.
At the same time North Dakota be-
came sure for Wilson and Wilson
gains were reported in West Virginia,
Minnesota and New Hampshire.
All Precedents Upset.
The result Of the election, which
was cloudeG by doubt, has upset all
presidents in American politics.
Wilson, apparently, has been elected
by republican states-states on which
the republican leaders counted SO
surely that they took little trouble or
expense to make prediction fights
within their borders.
Without New York or Illinois, which
declared decisively and Immediately
for Hughes, the Democrats found
enough strength in the middle and ex-
IRENE west to overcome the great
electoral votes of these and many 9TH
er populous and important states
OF the western states, where a
Hughes vistory was practically con-
coded by democrats, Hughes was vic
torious only in Oregon In the middle
west Iowa and South Dakota only
voted for him.
Probe for Minnesota Vote
Three nights of unofficial canvass
ing failed to take Minnesota from the
doubtful column of the presidential
race. Charles Z. Hughes maintained
a slight lead over President Wilson,
but the standing continued so close
that politicians of both parties de-
clared that only the official count
would settle the presidential contest
When the returns had been received
from 1888 precincts out of 1924 in
no of Mr ,,11
of 1904, the count standing: Wilson,
1851; Hughes, 176,545.
Federal investigators have begun an
inquiry into charges of alleged fraud
ulent voting in Minnesota Accompa-
MED by large staff of special agents,
Hinton G. Clabaugh of Chicago, chief
of the wester division of the bureau
of investigation of the department of
justice, arrived in ST. Paul, following
the receipt of complaints alleging that
fraudulent voting, stuffing of ballot
boxes and irregularities in accounting
were being carried on.
Preparations for Recount.
At republican national committee
headquarters it was admitted that af-
ter conference between George w.
Wickersham, former attorney general
of the United States; Everett Colby
Wilcox and George w. Perkins of Bal
timore, preparations were being made
to begin legal proceedings for recounts
in states where the results were close.
Chairman Wilcox included California,
New Mexico, North Dakota, New
Hampshire and Minnesota in his list
of states where recounts undoubtedly
would be demanded
Democratic headquarters was not
behind the republicans in preparing
for legal developments Chairman
Mccormick conferred with Alton B.
Parker, former democratic candidate
for president; Morgan J. O'Brien, De-
lancey Nicoll and John B. Stanchffeld.
all prominent New York lawyers. It
was evident that if the election was to
be taken into the courts the legal gil
ants of the parties were being marsh
aled for such battle royal as the
United States never has seen.
Prospects Change Over Night.
Aside from the uncertainty of the
result the most remarkable thing
about the election was the sudden
wiping out of the Hughes majorities
piled up in the east by the returns
coming IN from the west. When the
republican landslide in New York be-
came known and was quickly followed
by the heavy republican victories in
New England, there was a veritable
stampede to announce the election of
Mr.. Hughes and the defeat of Presi-
dent Wilson
Thousands of persons in the east
went to bed believing Mr. Hughes
elected and woke up Wednesday morn
ing TO find the result apparently