Pierce County Voters Reject Debt Validation

Tacoma, June 12.—While the friends of validation have not given up all hope of victory, appearances now are that the battle has been lost. At 8 o'clock this evening returns were in from forty-two county and thirty-five city precincts, leaving eight precincts yet to be heard from. The totals stand at 2,381 for and 1,604 against, but a two-thirds majority of 2,667 was required, leaving the measure short by 286 votes. The county precincts heard from today, with a few notable exceptions, voted against validation, some with big majorities. Friends of validation are now basing their hopes on there being errors in the count, as election officers in some cases struck an average instead of giving the vote on every proposition. In examining the ballots, the discovery was made that quite a number of voters failed to mark their ballots properly, merely checking a cross mark opposite the words 'For ratification' instead of scratching out 'Against ratification.' The final disposition of these ballots is quite important, owing to the closeness of the vote.