The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1875-01-14

clearly within the range of public super
vision, and that in order to a more def
mite determination of the relations of these
companies to the public the Board of
Railway Commissioners be instructed to
report to the next Legislature any and all
material facts within reach, concerning
their organization and management
THE ELECTION LAWS.
Again [ call the attention of the legis-
lative department to the costly and com
plicated machinery for conducting cleo
lions in this State. More than seven
thousand dollars were required from the
general fund the last year for the single
item of election blanks, and the local ex-
pense incident to registration in all the
election precincts throughout the State
amounting to many thousand dollars more
in my opinion far exceed the benefits
derived. 1t is charitable to suppose that
the object sought to be attained is the
purity of the baliot-box But it is diff
cult to see how this purpose is essentially
promoted by the existing requirements of
the act. In its application to towns, some
OF It's provisions are especially expensive,
superf1uOus and obnoxious. The average
number of the voting population Of each
town is considerably less than two humid
red, and the changes in the registry list
from year to year, so insignifcantly small
in comparison with the whole number of
legal voters, as to obviate every necessity
for those slow and tortuOus approaches
to the ballotbOx, sometimes deemed ex-
pedient in less conservative communities.
The qualifications of electors are clearly
and wisely prescribed by our state con-
stitution. The impracticable character of
some of the provisions of the existing
registry law are the natural and manifest
| consequences OF an effort to attach to
those qualifications superintendent condi
tiOns, not contemplated by that instru-
ment, and in clear violation of its spirit.
Under the law as it is, no one IS denied
the right of suffrage who accompanies
his ballot with the appropriate proof of
qualification, and under the law as it is
large numbers tail to comply with the re-
quirement of previous registry. I advise
the abrogation of no reasonable and eff
cient safeguard. Most heartily I com
mend every effort to prevent all corrup-
ton and punish all crime intended to
subvert the honest will of the people. But
4 provisions of law which are in their ma
ture offensive, expensive, practically in
efficient, or actually void, furnish no pro-
lection and deserve no defence. Accord
ingly recommend repeal of such parts
of the present law as require prelimi-
nary registration of electors, and the en-
actment of any compromising provisions
that may be deemed requisite to secure
an honest expression of the will of cleo
tors, and a faithful and intelligent dis
charge of the duties of inspectors at cleo
tions.
TIME OF CLOSING POLLS.
/ also renew in this place in the recon-
mendation of my previous message, for
more liberal legislation in behalf OF work
ing men, by an extension of the time now
provided by law for closing the polls in
the larger cities. Experience has clearly
established the fact that a large fraction
OF our labOring population are now prac-
tically denied the privilege Of the elective
franchise, under laws that do not permit
the exercise of that privilege without a
pecuniary sacrifice. 1t is too often the
fact, moreover, that laboring men COM
PEELED to cast their votes during hours Of
the day belonging to their employers, are
subjected to an annoying espionage, or an
offensive dictation, wholly Inconsistent
with that freedom of Individual action
and opinion upon which the sacred char
acter of the ballot depends. Such a re-
form would tend to preserve rather than
endanger the purity of the ballot box, for
the obvious reason that the additional
time allowed inspectors for receiving
votes, in crowded precincts, would furn-
| ish the most efficient security possible
against corrupt voting Another and still
more wholesome result might be anticipa-
ted from this change, in the fact that it
would wholly remove, on the part of can
didates for office, all apology for corrupt
| ly offering money as pretended compen-
! SatiOn to voters for valuable time lost in
going to and from the polls. Our system
of government cOntem plates and requires
a full, free and inexpensive exercise of
the right of suffrage by all qualified cleo
| tors, of whatever class, and every act of
| legislation to that end is sanctioned by
every principle of justice, and must
necessarily prove wholesome in its infu.
ence.
| CORRUPT USE OF MONEY IN ELECTIONS.
I feel confident that you will concur
with me in deprecating the increasing
evils attendant upon our elections, especi-
ally manifest in efforts to influence results
by a corrupt use Of money. That elector
political influence by dollars and cents, is
unworthy the respect of honest men, or
the privileges of citizen. No legisla-
ton is too stringent, and no penalty too
severe for the prevention and punishment
of practices of this class and [ respect
fully submit to you the propriety Of such
additional legislation as shall more etfec-
tually enforce the spirit and purpose of
existing statutes. The payment Of money
or property at the polls or elsewhere in
consideration of political services or influ-
ence, and for the purpose of unduly affec
ting the results OF a nomination or cleo
ton, is an otfense against society, and
should be unhesitatingly condemned by
law
CANvAssING VOTES,
The question is worthy of your consid-
Grafton, whether more intelligent provis
ions of law should not be enacted for the
security of the people against any fraud
ulent canvass Of votes. The restrictions
now Imposed upon canvassing boards, by
conhning them rigidly to the discharge Of
simple ministerial duty, cannot be too
strongly commended. Most assuredly no
judicial discrimination should be permit
ted on the part of political officers, far re-
moved from the source Conformation, and
likely to be consciously or unconsciously
governed by partisan interest. But the
power of revision and judicial discrimna
ton should somewhere exist, TO the end
simply that the popular will may never
be defeated through the error, incOmpe-
tence or criminal purpose of any sub0r-
dinate officer of the law. | furthermore
recommend such an amendment of exist
ing statutes on this subject as will remove
from any canvassing officer now designat
ed by law, both the opportunity and the
temptation for enormously canvassing