The New York herald., 1876-10-25
THE INCREASED REGISTRATION.
What the Great Hue and Cry of
Fraud is All About.
TERRIBLE REVELATIONS TO CONE.
Which Party is Doing the Most Of the Fraudu-
lent Work an Open Question.


There never was time since the present rigorous
Registration law went into effect whenever the result
h the nrs two days registration showed very large
Increase that great hue and cry not set up in
pertain quarters about the vo plots that about
10 bc pcrpetrated the ballot box Tho present time
70 no exception tho general rule and for the past
lew days there has been great deal Of talk about tho
democrats being their old tricks" 1t should not
be understood however that tho charges or fraud this
gear from side OF the house exclusively. BY
Tho democrats freely assert that the 'Custom
House gang they elegantly style the hundreds Of
active workers OF the republican party IN the various
wards. doing oil they can to swell tho republican
voto by fraudulent methods not the least reprehcnsble
OF which is tho registering Is natives OF men who
are OF foreign birth. But New York being demo-
cratic city by overw hclming majority, II is but
natural that tho charges Of fraud made against demo
Gratis by republicans should be moro numerous
and carry more weight with the general public.
That there Is truth in tho assertions made by
District Attorney Bliss and Commissioner Davenport
rs the attempt OF many democrats not entitled to
= vote to get registered on illegal residences or on
naturalization papers there be doubt; but that
some Of their charges are too sweeping, that
indeed will not bear the test OF Investigation, equally
undeniablc.
The assertion that because lodging houses,
Sailors' boarding houses canal boats and coasling
craft whose ostensibe headquarters, to speak,
this port are frcqucntcd just now by. crowds
Of persons OF tho poorer class, Will
not OF Itself satisfy thinking people that
great frauds are contemplated Every who
Knows anything all about the present condition Of
the laborng and poorer Glasses knows that ney could
not afford to live at least in tenement house apart
mcnts; that there nro thousands OF men in this city
who
pArRoSIzR HOUSES,
and who havo done for months simply because they
could And other shelter II would, then, be simply
an outrage TO attempt TO deprive this class of tho right
10 vote by placing them in the category OF tramps and
Migrants who have no settled homo because
they arc unable TO live as well nowadays
ns some others in the community. StIll IL IS a
TACT Tint the lodging houses and lko
resorts do furnish admirable opportunity for the
organizers or .colonized voters commit fraud
the poll 1t will require considerable care, howrver
on the part OF those whose duty II Is TO investigate
these places to hat they do not do injury to per-
sons whose right to vote might never be questioned
were they not found IN such bad company Nc good
ctzen Will complain, no matter what party he belongs
system OF repeating To this end the Chief Supervisor
Of Elections, the United States District Attorney, tho
United States Marshal and all associated with hcm
have tho sympathies OF the honest members OF tho two
PARTIES Nevertheless these officials should first be
sure they are right before they put themselves in
position which ght in the end bo productive OF moro
harm than good. The. question Is. then, can the
charges made during tho past few days BY tho repub
lcans that the large increase in the registration
previous years IS owing TO the fact that thousands
Of men have illegally registered themselves, be sus
Ing. When asked for, II has been refused II ia but
lust however state that full proof Of the charge
that very large number Of men have succeeded
Commrsoner u Davenport and n,sric. Attorney Bliss
but that they will not be able to prove all the Wild
statements of OF the partisan papers to tho
strcmcndous" extent OF the frauds Is forceonc con-
clusion
LOOKING Up THx WOULD ILLEGAL VOTERS.
Yesterday the special supervisors whose duty II is
30 verify the registration Of the lOih and 18TH inss,
began their house TO house visatious, and this work
Will be continued To-Day and tomorrow. After the
registration OF next Friday and Saturday tho super
vlsors will again verify the lists by going from house
TO house. Is probable that by the end OF tins week
lhe names OF those parties who have succeeded tho
10th and 18th IN getting their put the rcgs
try through fraud will be ready for publication.
In conversation yesterday with District Attorney
Bss this subj aud In answer to the writer's in
qury why no arrests had been made II so much alse
had been talkod about had been INDUCED
.How can you expect arrests TO be made when you
don't know where to find those you want TO arrest?
lot of fellows register residing in such apd such
place weNnd tha, they do not reside there. That
ioct established We ready to act We have them
ali down in black and white and II they put In an ap
pcarancc the polls why just know what 10 do with
hns nothing 10 do with this business We Know tho
birds COLOR and n after making nest for himself in
any polling place, no attempts to lake possession OF II
election day be will DO treated according 10 his
deserts"
IS THIS rnE RATIO INTENDED rnAup9
sNow, Mr. Bliss, questioned The reporter, ''ihcre
has been great deal OF talk about the extent Of tho
lit;losn
Mr. Bliss looked up from his papers. with an as
tounucd look upon hts genial lace
Much, very much, was his reply.
ssCan you give mo particulars-fac's about which
there be no dispute? would prefer hem 10 gen.
era assertions for general assertions about tho alleged
far"
No, prefer not to enter into details Not that
could not give tho facts, but the time has not yet
for them to be made public BY tho end OF TINS week
think wo will be ready 10 give tho names OF the
illegal woula be voters, with few particulars .
In reply 10 another request for particulars Mr. Bliss
II will give one instance. In ward, which
is but part OF certain assembly district, there
over 400 persons The registry whose names ought
not TO be there OF this have the most convincing
proof"
The reporter also had short talk with United States
Marsha! Fis.c concerning the frauds, during which hc
remarked, II am satisfied that great frauds being
attempted. but would prefer you would see Mr.. Dav
export, who has all tho working up OF the matter In
hand" When pressed as to the ground for charges
that had been against the democrats he replied
s.No doubts that immense frauds were pcrpctracd
in 1888; so when n was discovered thai the regstra-
ton thus far this year far exceeded the correspond
ing registration Of previous late years IL struck
iha. there was scrcw loose somcwherc.'
FEW DISTRICTS coSTRAsTwD
II is a poor rulo that wop't work both ways, they
say The charge by tho republicans, that ono good
ground Tor Suspicion that Immense frauds intended
by the democrats is the extraordinary Increase in tho
registration In the s,rongholds Of the democracy is
offset hy tho remarkable increase OF the registration
In districts strongly republican. Take the following
Districts Tor example, the registration being Tor
two days 1875 nrcrdy passed. and Tor the
spending days Of 1S72:-
STRONG DEMOCRATIC DISTRICTS.
Disfrfets 1870 1872 Increase.
First. t............... 4,544 4,19I 34-
second. ............. 3,57s 1867 80 dec
Third .,......... 3.4i3 1897 10
Fourth. ass 5,O6l 227
STRONG REPUBLICAN DIsTRIcrs
Seventh. ............ :, ,465 aI23 142
Ninth. 6,1gl $50 S2I
Eleventh .......... 5,513 4716 191
NJ. A y