New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-08-29

TIE NEW Law ON PRINdH1 ELECiIoNc'
The time Is at hand for calling the primaries
for the election OF delegates to the State and
County Conventions Of the two parties. These
meetings notwithstanding their great impor-
lance have been VIGOROUSLY mlsconducted'
Their history has perhaps done as much ms any
thing else to bring reproacl upon our iepub'
lican system. In too many instances, as our
readers well know. they have simply been
wretched farces because they have represented
nothing except the free course OF fraud and
corruption.
For many years public attention has Deen d.
rected to this evil, and the Legislature of last
winter passed law designed to protect the
primaries In view of their approach 1t is
profitable TO glance at its leading features. Its
first section makes it msdemcanor for any
person to personate and vote under the name
of any other person, or to vote without having
the right to do so, OF to obstruct and prevent
riehtful voters from voting, or 10 conceal or de-
stroy ballots that have been cast, or wr0ngfu!ly
TO depost ballots in the ballot-box or wrong
fully to take ballots from the ballot-box; or
to commit any other fraud or wrong tendlng
{" to defeat or affect the result of the lDrimaryJ
@electon.n The second section provides that the
inspectors Of primaries snail be sworn, In the
form required Of inspectors of general cleo
ton, before entering upon their duties. Pro-
vision is also made in this section for challeng-
ing voters, and any person swearing falsely as
TO his qualifications as voter on conviction is
to be punished for perjury. The third section
makes it msdemeanor for an inspector, teller
or canvasser of primary to receive vote that
Il. "a o,,1 I,o han Vfnr IN
il. or to interfere in any manner with the
ballots cast, or TO make false count, canvass
statement, certificate or return. The fourth
section makes it a misdemeanOr for any person
elected delegate at primary 10 receive
money or other valuable thing for his vote.
The fifth section is devoted to broad delini-
tinn of the words "prlmary elections" The
sixth section limits voting to persons over
twenty-0ne years of age who are citizens OF
the United States Tie seventh and last Sec
ton declares that the punishment of any OF the
offences above mentioned shall be Il fine not
exceeding $4,000 or Imprisonment not exceed
ing three years, or both such fine ana imprison-
ment.
1t will be seen that this law does not 60 so
far as some of the measures that have been
previously presented but which failed to
become law. 1t does not prescribe the time
when the primaries shall be held, and so does
not guard against "snap" primaries. Neither
does it regulate the form or style OF the ballot,
nor provide--as did the Hickman bill-for a
board of registration to meet in advance of the
holding of the primaries to prepare list of
lawfully qualified voters. Nevertheless, the
fact remains that this law Of 1888 has only to
be strictly enforced to purge the primaries OF
most of the evils with which they have been so
long inflicted. 1t is possible that it may be-
come dead letter. Itremains, therefore, for all
Republicans and Democrats who are in favor of
pure and wholesome government to make COM
mon cause for It's enforcement