The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-12-04
CLAIMS
AMENDMENTSIN
LEADIN FINALS
Basing Contention on Semi-O Off
fetal Returns From 81
of So Counties
SEVEN SHIRES ARE TARDY
Notified Messenger Will Be Sent
for Abstract if Not Here
BY Friday

N0npartlsan league officials at the
capitol, with the exception of Secre-
tary Of State Hall, are this morning
claiming success for a majority of the
league constitutional amendments.
This claim Is made on the face of in.
formal and semi-official returns from
81 out og SO counties. The secretary
OF states office by noon today had
tabluated the semi-official returns
from all but six counties, and had in.
formal returns from four other coun.
ties. The only counties from which no
returns at all were available were
Morton and Mclean. The secretary of
of state asserts that his tabulation
would indicate that all of the prin-
cipal league amendments have lost by
a small majority.
The state canvassing board upon
convening in statutary session yester-
day found that no returns of any de-
scription had been received from sew
en- counties and that seven o1ners had
failed to report the total vote cast in
the recent general election. Secre-
tary of State Hall was instructed to
notify the counties which had made
no report that unless this report was
received not later than December u
messenger would be dispatched for
the same at the expense Of the county.
The counties concerned were Bot
tineau, Burleigh, Mclean, Mercer,
Morton, Wells and Williams. Bur-
leigh county redeemed itself late yes
terday afternoon by sending it's Off
cial abstract to the capitol from the
county building in Bismarck where
the abstract had been retained The
seven counties from which reports
have not been received on the total
vote are Adams, Grand oFrks McKen-
zie, Rolette, Sheridan, Slope and
Grant.
State Auditor Kositzky who claims
that the league amendments have al
ready a sufficient majority of I'll the
votes cast, referred to the statutes
yesterday and discovered thatthe state
canvassing board may adjourn from
day to day to await belated returns,
but that in no case may it adjourn
for more than three days in ALL ex-
cept to await the return of messen-
ger dispatched to any county seat to
bring in the official abstract. Under
his Interpretation of the statute. un.
less some county fails to return its Of
ficial abstract by Friday, the state
canvassing board must complete it's Of
ficial canvass upon that date, and no
soldier votes received later can be
counted. Attorney General LANCER in
a formal ruling on the question had
expressed the opinion that the board
could adjourn to later date. and an
adjournment to December 10 had al
ready been announced. When the
state canvassing board met yesterday,
however, it merely adjourned until
1880 this afternoon, after instructing
the secretary of state to camp on the
trail of tardy counties.
The secretary of states office this
morning was engaged in tabulating the
vote on the principal league amend
ments. and it was expected that def
mite results on at least 81 counties
would be available by noon.
The secretary Of state has ruled
that when soldier ballots are received
by county boards after their official
abstract has been filed with the state
canvassing board, the county board
must, if such ballots are received pri-
or to any adjourned meeting of the
state board, file second official alb
stract. recording the Soldier vote on
all offices and constitutional ques.
tions. The soldier vote in any event
promises to be very small, and 1t is
doubtful whether it will affect any
but very close local contests.