In A Bad Boat

The republican state board of canvasser.s are in a peck of trouble. They stand confessedly guilty of falsifying the returns on the constitutional amendments at last spring's election. They say that this falsification of returns was not done knowingly but at the least, they must have been guilty of the most gross and inexcusable carelessness. The salaries amendment to the constitution was officially declared to have been passed by the state board of canvassers, consisting of Secretary of State Jochim, State Treasurer Hambitzer, and land coramissioner Earry, all of whorn are republicans. The majority was placed at 1,821. This amendment raised the salar)' oí the secretar)' of state from $800 to $2,000; the commissioner of the land office from $800 to $2,000 and permitted the legislatura to raise the salary of the treasurer from $1,000 to $2,000, besides making several other raises in salaries of state ofñcers. Gov. Rich made the discovery that the returns were incorrect in a queer manner. Under the law the county clerk in each county sends duplícate returns to the governor and secretary of state. This is to guard against mistake. The governor ascertained some time ago that I a messenger from the state department had borrowed his returns and not brought them back. Rich insisted upon their immediate restoration. Secretary Jochim could not find them, and carne to the conclusión that they had been destroyed at his office at Ishpeming. The various county clerks were then required to again send in duplícate returns, which were furnished the governor. These were carefully tabulated and it was found that the salaries amendment had really been defeated. According to the governor's tabulated statement which the state canvassers admit to be correct, the majority of votes actually cast against the salaries amendment was 11,555. Here isa change of 13,376 or over 10 per cent. of the votes cast on the subject. The vote as canvassed by the three republican officials whose salaries were at stake, was for 64.222, against 62601. The actual vote as cast stood for 59,217, against 70,772. It is unfortunate for the three gentlemen whose reputation is at stake, that their own salaries were involved in the amendment. It is unfortunate too, if the mistake was accidental, that the duplícate returns were destroyed so as to make it difficult to review the work. And another question arises, what were the returns doing at the home of the secretary of state in Ishpeming. Gov. VVinans required the resignation of Secretary of State Sober, will Governor Rich require the resignation of Jochim, et al ?