Evening star., 1868-05-06
DISREPUTABLE TACTICS

At the municipal election last year, IL will be
remembered, large number of citizens were
GebaIred from voting, in consequences of the
defective arrangements by which an insult
fcient number of polling places were provided
IN he different Wards. At many of the pre-
cinCts long lines of voters were waiting pa
tiently their turn when the polls closed at
o'clock. Great indignation was naturally felt
by those deprived of the right Of suffrage, and
the police with difficulty prevented serious dis
turbances. The grievance was, however, taken
In better temper by those disfranchised than
might have been anticipated, they appr, eiat-
ing the fact that the difficulty resulted from in
e1p.rience, il bring the first time that an eiec-
ton had taken place under the enlarged fran
chise. 1t was simply an evil to be remedied at
the earliest moment. Nobody doubted that it
would be.
This year, oa the commencement of the regis
tration, the Judges OF Election called the at
tention of the City Councils 10 the necessity of
making provision for more polling places, and
recommended that the votes be taken IN each
ward alphabetically. The Board of Alder
men, seeing the necessity for prompt action,
passed bill the same night the eommunica-
ton was received. providing for from six to
eight polling places in each ward; four being
the number in each ward last year. This bill
met the unanimous approval of the Judges of
Election, and they sent the following commu-
nication to the lower board, urging its imme-
diate passage by that body:
..WAsHIS GTON, ID. c., April l., 1850 the
President # the Board If Common Council. Sir:
The undersigned Judges OF election respectful
ly beg leave to call your attention, and through
YOU the Board over which ysu preside, 10 a bill
which unanimously passed the Board of AL
deImen at its last meeting, and is now pending
IL the Board OF Common CoIncil, designed TO
Increase the number OF voting precincts in the
CITY of Washington. and TO earnestly request
that your Board Will consider and pass the
same at your neXt meeting The provisions of
this bill meet our unanimous appreciation, as
n will afford every requisite nvenience TO the
people and remove all confusion at the polls On
The day of election. Trusting that the members
of your Board will see the importance of acting
prCmptly and afirmativeIy in the matter we
are, respectfully, &c. (Signed)-L. Clephane,
Geo. II. Plant, ). j. Bowen, II. g. Robbins L.
r. Bacon"
The communication was referred to q special
committee composed Of one from each ward. as
follows: Messrs. CrockeT, Slowen. Beali, Nal
lev, A. p. Clarke, q. W. Miller and ) 5. Baker.
Immediate action was expected upon the bill,
the emergency being pressing, butIt hung mys-
teriOusly in Committee, ana presently it began
TO be W whIspered that certain small-fry politi-
Cians acting upon the disgraseful motto that sail
il fair in politics. had determined 10 smother
the bill and prevent any increase in the polling
lldCtS l%hsl ear. IL - pptueu one party
by getting priority at the polls, Through early
rising.) were the gamers by the restricted vot-
ing accommodations, and il seems that there are
some unscrupulous partizans who hope Dy re-
strICtiug the number of polling places TO that of
last year to get their own votes in and keep out
these Of their opponents. The scheme. how
ever, is stupid as il is dIsreputable. Their
opponents. animated by the hope of success
Will probably take to early rIsing this year and
b. on the ground soon they: and the only
result viii BE- cont Il at the polls for a place
in line, with endless chickering's and disturb
aDces, even if there should not be positive riot
and bloodshed.
We trust that every city paper without re-
gard TO politics will unite with US In denounc-
ing this disgraesful project. 1t is not, we are
glad to say, endorsed by any respectable party
men. Leading Republicans warmly denounce
IL, and the Judges of Election, four-ffths of
whom are Republicans, unanimously recon-
mend to the Board of Common Council the i'm
nediste passage Of the bill increasing the num-
Der OF precincts Now let that Board and its
Committee clear their skirts of the responsible
ity of refusing to provide voting places. Not
one word of apology OF excuse can be offered
for failure to do so, and the light they will
stand in before honorable fair minded men OF
all parties will be a most unpleasant one