The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-02
Voting by Elrctricitv.

A system OF receiving and recording bal
lots, which Is now in use In tho French
Chamber Of Deputies, possesses 80 many
advantages over tho old methods that IL Is
even worth considering whether IL or some
like system might not profitably be en-
ployed In Congress and the State Legisla-
lures. AS every one who is familiar with
the routine OF their sessions is aware, much
valuable time is lost by the slow and tedious
taking OF the votes OF our legislative bodies,
in the calling for the ayes and noes. A
large part OF this time Is saved In the
French Chamber by the really beautiful
electric system OF automatic voting at pres
ent employed there.
The system is the invention OF NJ CLERAC
and NJ. GuIcHrNoT, the first distinguished
electrician, who is well known as the dis
coverer Of the principle Of the variable re-
sistance OF finely divided carbon under
pressure. and the second civil engineer OF
Paris. BY means OF it the Assembly can
see the progress Of the ballot as it goes on,
and foot up the results before they are pro-
claimed, since 1t collects the votes and to-
tallzcs them instantaneously. 1t also re-
cords them by permanent marks. and each
deputy is able to see at once whether his
vote has been correctly received and re-
corded Thus there can be no false voting.
1t is not necessary 10 give a particular
description Of the mechanism OF the device,
which, however, is not greatly complicated,
though the work done by it is so complete
and varied. On each side of the chair Of the
presiding officer are placed two large cab
inets divided into as many compartments
as there are members OF the Assembly. One
Of these cabinets is for the ayes and the other
for the noes, or the cOntres and the pOurs
as they are termed in France. Each Dep
uty has a compartment for his contre in the
negative cabinet, and one for his pour In the
positive cabinet. When vote is TO be taken
no touches one Of two buttons on his desk
similar TO those in use in hotels for the ring
ing OF call bells, and drops ball which re-
cords his ballot either for or against, accord
ing as he lays his finger on the positive or
the negative button. A device Is provided
by which, rs fast as the votes are cast, their
number il exhibited to the whole body. and
the process Of taking the sense Of the French
National Assembly, now composed Of seven
hundred and fifty members, is thus not only
a rapid one but Is also such that every
member can see at once how it is result
ing. When the balloting is over the appa-
ratus is reset for the next voting by the
turning Of a crank.
But this machine does more than record
the numbers OF the votes. BY means OF cleo
tro-chemical printing IL writes them down
as they are cast. The same current which
causes the indicator to appear and the balls
TO fall, is made to print the name Of each
deputy and the nature OF his vote on pa
per register; and as this impression is last
ing durable record of the vote is obtained
The color Of the printing is in the one case
blue, and in the other red, so that the ayes
can be readily distinguished from the noes
II 1t is desired to conduct n secret ballot,
all that is necessary is 10 cover up the cabi-
nets with blinds and to substitute blank
blocks in the printing presses for those
bearing the marks OF the Deputies. The
printing press, too, need not be limited to
voting. 1t may be also employed in calling
the roll and for similar purposes, and thus
serve the convenience and save the time OF
members.
OF course the stupidity and bungling OF
some legislators would work against the
success OF so admirable and scientific sys-
TEN Of voting as that perfected by NJ. Gle
RAG and NJ, GUICHENOf, but after little OK
perionce with it they ought u learn how TO
use the machine which saves them so much
time and trouble.