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Show TUB COUNTY KECOKOEKSHIP. The Timks a few days ago had the boldness to assert that it believed that John II. Kumel, jr., was honestly elected to the otlico of county recorder, and predicted that Mr. Kumel would win iu the courts. Tho same opinion was expressed by a large number of liberal-minded Liberals, who are in favor of fair play, no matter what tho consequences may be. Tho court has sustained tho position taken by Tim Times, and Mr. Kumel gets his eorlifioate of election. This gives him possession of the office, and puts Colonel Page upon the offensive if a contest follows. It was indeed rather queer reasoning on the part of the board of canvassers to hold that votes cast for Henry Pago and II. Pago were for ono and the same person, while ballots for John II. Rumel and John II. Kumel, jr., were for two different persons. Judge Zane hit the nail on the head, in taking into consideration the intent of the voter, as follows; "Hut, further, the weight of authority and I think the more reasonable rule is, that the canvassers should take notice of the fact who tho candidates are that are nominated by the respective political parties; the existence of those parties and the nominees are mattejs of public notoriety; the candidate or the person voting has done all the law requires when he puts the name and the office upon the ticket. If the board cannot take notlco of who the candidates are, It would be Impossible In some cases to apply the votes and give them to tho proper Individual; and If tho board may take notice of who the candidates are, then it has a right to draw all reasonable inferences from the fact, and those Inferences are based upon the ordinary conduct of mankind and the habits of society when acting towards political ends. It is a matter of common Information Informa-tion anil publlo notoriety that there are political parties, and that those parties put forward candidates and that the people divide In their preferences prefer-ences with respect to these parties, and vote for their respective candidate!. If the term 'sr.' had been usei at the first poll, the presumption pre-sumption of two men would have been stronger; but no further description of the -person voted for at tho polls Is given than the name supplies, while at the other thirty-eight polls a further description Is given. The name describes the Individual. That is the object of a name. It deHcrllMis tho man wllh all his peculiarities, pe-culiarities, yet all of these peculiarities may bo resorted to in order to distinguish orie man from another. The description is given by the simple use of the name on the returns of the Mi'Ht poll, and ono question is whether the hoard of canvassers have a right to take Into consideration the further fact that J. H. Kumel Ku-mel was a candidate for recorder. It was a matter of public notoriety that the board have a right to take notion of without any proof of It. "The court Is of the opinion that It was the duty of this board of canvassers to examine all of those returns and to take iato consideration considera-tion the fact that In thirty-eight of the pre-clnosB pre-clnosB tho word Jr. was added to Kumel and in three It was not. They hail a right to take Into consideration the further fact that the votes of the first poll of the first precinct were cast for John 11. Kumel without the word Jr., and at the second poll tho word Jr. was added ; and tho further fact that John H. ltumel was a candidate for the office of recorder; with such facts before him any reasonahlo man, it seems to me, would say that the probabilities are that the same man w as intended to be voted for at all of these polls, where the name John II. Bitmel was used, whether t he term Jr. waB added or omitted. The other rule, which would deny to the board of canvassers this right, would be a very narrow, a very superficial superfi-cial and a very unreasonable ono, to my mind. It would require, in my Judgment, a reasonable reasona-ble man to stultify himself In order to come to the conclusion that two different men by the name of ltumel were Intended." The Times worked hard for the election elec-tion of tho entire Liberal ticket, and regrets that il was not victorious in its entirety. Tho county recordership was the most important otlico on the ticket politically, because it gives employment to a large number of persons and hence exercises considerable political influence. influ-ence. Nevertheless, The Times did not hesitate to sustain Mr. Kumel when it was known that ho received a majority major-ity of tho votes and was honestly elected, Holioviug in fair play this paper oould not have dono otherwise. The result teaches tho Liberals a lesson, les-son, which no doubt will bo hoeded in tho future. Hereafter candidates should be selected with a view of carrying the full strength of the ticket, and not because they belong to any particular ring or faction. The best interests of the party should be considered rather than the tnterests of any one man or set of men. |