The Portland daily press., 1883-11-09
The Vigilance COMMITTEES.
Emcient Work i'm Preventing Fraud
New Registration Laws Proposed.
Boston Advertiser,

Boston Advertiserl
The good order at the polling places in this
city on Tuesday, especially at those where
some disturbance was expected, was very
creditable and remarkable. considering the ex-
citing character Of the contest. There were
but three or four arrests during the day, and
unusual quiet and deeorum prevailed. An
ticipations OF trouble in certain precincts
where, it was thought. the presence OF repre-
sentatives of tho citizens committee would be
particularly objectionable, proved to be
groundess. This was probably due in largo
part to the attendance of double force Of
policemen, and to the moral effect Of the ar
rsngements made by order of the commits
soners for quickly sending reserve force OF
officers to any point whore it might be needed
to quell serious disturbance. A representa-
tive of the vigilance COMMITTEES was in every
polling place in the city from the opening to
the closing of the polls, and private detectives
were distributed where they were supposed to
be most needed. Each officer had list Of
men whom he was to challenge, aud the list
contained, in all, about 1900 names. Its pre-
paration involved great amount Of investigs-
tion and labor In the first place, the ward
committees marked on the checklists the
name Of every citizen who was known to be
legal voter, whether Republican or Demo
crat. Many thousands are, of course,
left as doubtful. The vigilance committee,
through its agents, then endeavored to trace as
many OF these doubtful ones as time would per
NIT, and the investigation showed that 1900
men who had no right to vote were registered,
and the list was not nearly exhausted in get
ting out this number. The fact that the com
mittee had made the investigation without the
further knowledge as to what name had been
traced, made illegal voting very uncertain and
dangerous work, for 1t was as likely to be at
tempted upon one OF the names selected for ex-
animation as upon one Of the others. 1t is as-
serted that the democratic committee paid
1900 poll taxes which were not registered, and
the infert nee is that the men 10 whom the tax-
bills were made out had no right to vote here,
and that but for the special precautions taken
to prevent fraud in registration and voting the
names would have been put on. IL Is fur
ther asserted that there are probably be-
tween 5000 and 10000 names on the lists Of
people who have moved from the city or died,
which are carried along and illegally voted
upon from year to year. An appeal will be
made to the next Legislature to give Boston
an entirely hew and more stringent registra-
tion law. The basis of the present list ia the
city clerks old list and the proposition is made
that registration bs made de noUo, and every
citizen, before he can get his name upon the
list, be required to go personally before the
registrars, with his witnesses, undergo exami-
nation, aud make oath as to his identity. It Is
also proposed to give the registrars power 10
summon witnesses, make arrests, and enforce
penalties for violations Of the law. The tigi-
lance co.amittee will probably keep up its or
ganizstion through the city campaign, and AZ
ter that may do something as body towards
securing new registration law.