Show A JUST DECISION The decision of Judges Lewis and Ritchie that Oliver Hodgson J D Murdoch and L E Hall are entitled to the seats scats In the council to which w the people of the First and Fourth pre precincts precincts precincts elected them In November oember last will be regarded by b most mot people as perfectly just It is not at all likely that the decision will be reversed by bythe bythe bythe the supreme court which tribunal it has lies been announced will be asked to pass on the case The whole matter of the contests hinged on the authority of ofa ofa I a party committee to fill 1111 vacancies on onUs its Us ticket by the substitution of candi candidates candidates candidates dates of a different political faith There were resignations from both Democratic and Republican tickets in inthe inthe inthe the First The vacancy on the Demo temo Democratic cratic ticket was filled by the nomina nomination nomination nomination tion of Mr Murdoch a Republican The rhe vacancy on on the Republican ticket was 05 filled by the nomination of Mr Ir Hodgson a democrat In the Fourth there was only one resignation that of ofa a Republican nominee and the Republican RepubliCan Republican lican committee filled the vacancy by naming Mr Hall Halla a Democrat There was no question about the authority of the precinct prec committees to fill the va vacancies vacancies vacancies for they were specially author authorized authorized authorIzed by their precinct conventions to take this action The question has seemed to us oue oge of 2 party discipline rather ratler than of court procedure When a politician betrays betra s his party he must i ckon with his par party party party ty Under our system of electing pres presidents presIdents presidents of or the United States it is pos poe possible possible sible for a candidate can to carry every state In the Union by a tremendous majority and still fall fail of election fo to the presidency For there Is no law that compels the members of or the electoral college to vote for the candidate of the pasty party on whose ticket they were elect elected elected elected ed They have full authority In the matter They could elect one of or their own number and anti In law his election could not be questioned Of course men who would be guilty of such baseness would be driven out of public life and go to their graves ir irredeemably irredeemably irredeemably redeemably and Irretrievably irr disgraced aced The case we have suggested Is admit admitted admitted ted to be wildly suppositious suppositions Still it itIs itIs Is iK possible And if It members of or as a Im Important important important an organization as the elec electoral 4 toral college are amenable to no law 11 save the party law how can courts i take cognizance of or the action of party tl committees In the case under discus discussion Ion sion the committees are additionally I fortified by the fact that members of ot I their party have taken no part in the court procedure We very much doubt if It the Ameri Amen Americans Americans cans who instituted the farcical con contest contest contest test expected to override the expressed will of the people Their only hope was to make trouble and even In that they have not been extraordinarily success successful ii ful lul u |