The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-20
McCrary on Honest Elections.

Mr.. GEORGE W. MCCRARY, the de fdcto
Secretary Of War; contributes his word TO
the pending discussion on the use of the
army at the polls by an article in the cur
rent number of the North American Rcrieir
Some of the abuses which he slgnalizes in
our elective mechanism are real enough, but
the remedy he proposes, and whose further
ance plainly was the writer's aim, would be
far worse than the disease. The mischiefs
and inconvenience on which he dwels with
30 much rgor are after all mere survivals
OF a primitive political situation, and may
easily be cured without rude and perilous
dslocation Of our electoral machinery
1t Is true that the means originally used
In the United States to render the ballot box
a prompt and authentic register of the peo-
plc'swill were OF the simplest, being adapted
to the conditions OF sparsely-settled agri-
cultural communities. Registration, for ex-
ample was surperlluous when all the voters
Of n whole county voted at the county seat,
and were personally known to the judges Of
election There is no doubt, however, that
the multiplication Of precautions against
unlawful voting has failed in many sections
to keep pace with the growth Of population.
1t may be said that in the majority OF the
States the provisions creating and defining
election precincts are still imperfect. In no
less than twenty-four States neither the
number nor size OF the voting districts is
fixed by law. Only in Pennsylvania, New
York, and Oregon has the extent of precincts
In cities been sufficiently narrowed to insure
high degree Of rapidity and trustworthi-
ness in the exercise Of the suffrage. The
maximum number OF voters allowed TO an
urban precinct In the first named State is
two hundred and fifty, and in the second
eight hundred, and three hundred in the
lat 'er. On the other hand, all the States but
Blk have registry laws, although many
leave open the question Of the right of non
registered persons TO vote, thus frustrat-
ing TO large d-si,5 lie purpose OF the
statutes.
1t is true, too, that some States have gone
much further than others in providing for
fairness in the count, and in guarding
against fraud in the return. The impor-
tant requirement that the board OF election
officers should be made up of representa-
tiyes OF the several political parties yet re-
mains TO be enacted byabout one-half OF the
States. Still more rarely has the utility
been recognized Of securing the presence OF
witnesses drawn from both sides during the
canvassing Of the votes. Very few OF the
States, however, have neglected the para
mount and indispensable regulation, name
ly, that the count shall begin Immediately
upon the close OF the polls and continue
without intermission until completed. But
In Mississippi If the canvass Is not over by
midnight, it may be finished during
the normal working hours Of the next
day. In South Carolina the managers
OF precinct have three days in which to
deliver the poll list and ballot boxes to the
commissioners Of election, who, on their
part, do not proceed TO canvass until nearly
a week after the close Of the polls. Mr. Nc
CRARY has the candor TO admit that this
statute seems to have been framed with the
express aim OF contriving opportunities for
tamperng with the votes. Here we may
add that no law is to be found upon the stat
ute books Of twenty-five States touching the
size and form OF the ballot. Elsewhere the
regulation sometimes confines itself TO pre-
scribing plain white paper as the medium
on which the votes shall be inscribed. In
two States. California and Nevada, gross
fraud by the use Of tissue ballots is pre-
vented by law that each vote-bearing
scrip shall be four inches in width and
twelve inches long.
Now, although some OF the States, as we
have seen, are backward or negligent In
periecting and protecting their electoral
machinery It is clear that the remedy lies
In their own hands. They have only to
adopt precautions already practscd else
where, whose operation may be studied
In one or another Of our commemorative.
There is scarcely any conceivable regula-
ton, certainly there is no important requl-
site of security, for which a precedent may
not be found in the legislation Of some state,
and in several cases n complete system Of
checks and safeguards is provided. To urge
the universal introduction Of such measures
Is pertinent enough, IN Wow of the fragrant
outrage upon the rights OF the electors
committed In three Of the Southern
States at the last Presidential election.
But to question the capacity or the right
OF commonwealth TO take order through
its own Legislature for the security Of the
polls is TO deny IL the fundamental attribute
OF sovereignty. Mr.. McCRARY's implied
deduction from the occasional miscarriage
OF Justice I'm some States. that the control
Of electoral machinery ought TO be abdi-
Gated altogether is really too droll aud eX-
trayagant to bear serious discussion. The
people Of this country have not remarked
that Federal oillccholdcr is less apt to be
partisan than a state functionary, and
while tho expodicnt of giving both parties
representation in the board OF election
judges continues to work well enough, they
will scarcely be persuaded to see tho acme
OF political wisdom in bestowng monopoly
OF supervision on one political faction.
The provision Of the Constitution 10 which
Mr.. McCRARY refers, and which enacts that
Congress may" prescribe the time, place,
and manner OF electing It's own members,