Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-02-07
A NEW GREAT REGISTER NEEDED

There has been made no new Great Reg
lister of the voters of Sacramento county
since 1881. That is, by far, too long a
time to elapse without reregistration in a
country where the population changes as it
does in California. In seven years there
has been no reregistration, but in that
time death has not been idle; removals
have been numerous, and great many
changes in local residence have taken
place. There are now upon the Great
Register II ,395 names. OF that total there
are 3,070 that have been challenged as
representing dead men, voters who have
removed from the county, those who are
doubly registered, are in State Prison, or
insane asylum, or have left the country.
There are over 400 names upon the Great
Register known to represent dead men, and
q good many more such names could be
discovered. There is a very large class,
probably more than 1000 of whom so lit
tie known as to their residence, that it is
to be on the safe side to class them among
those whose right to vote in Sacramento
county has been forfeited.
A surplus OF names upon register and
that register old, is the opportunity of the
vote thief, balIot-box suffer and ward
political manipulation These men never
want Reorganization; it would suit them
better if there was no registration at all.
Indeed, forced to endure register, they
get eyen' with it by voting just as many
dead men, absent voters and duplicated
names on the register as they can. The de-
sire Of these men ought to be antagonized
by all who favor fair play, free ballot
and an honest count. Let us see how this
matter stands after some tedious counting
Of data to get at the facts:
Names on Great Register to March 1857. II. S95
Registered in 1885, 1886 and lSS7........... IS02
Leaving registration in 18S4................. 1888
Votes cast in 1884, dead and alive (Presi-
dental year)...... ,260
Leaving as dead and not voted, removed,
or not voting. 1888
~ hNnAA - pei NClll VI dll lllt
voters.
If now we allow on the basis of results
in 1884, that 1,500 new voters will register
in the Presidential year 1888, the Great
Register will then contain 1896 names,
while our honest vote cannot certainly ex-
coed 5000, thus leaving upon the Register
nearly 1000 names that will not be repre-
sented at the polls, or an increase over
1854 Of 1867. But as goodly proportion
of that number may be entitled to vote, it
follows that out of the 5000 votes cast
there will be as many dead and absent
voted by the suffers as there are genuine
voters who refrain from voting. That is
TO say, those who vote dead and absent
men, never allow the total vote to fall off
The Great Register, therefore, in 1888
will be cumbrous affair. 1t is a patch
work of supplements, inconvenient, and
favors illegal voting as a result The
Presidential year is good year in which
to clean up the register business We have
an accumulation of rubbish now upon the
book of seven years gath ering. There is
need for renovation and a new adjustment.
1t is objected that it will cost between
81, 800 and $4,000. Suppose it does, the
county can well afford it. No matter if
the money is not on hand-the need is
great and the county credit good The
Board of Supervisors is heavily Republi-
can; the solitary Democratic member
proposes a new registration; if it is de-
feated the Republican party must bear the
odium; it will, in short, play into the
hands of the Democracy. The Republican
members cannot afford it for party's sake.
But duty to the people rises superior to
party, and that demands that new Great
Register be ordered now. There is lust
time within the law, if done this week, in
which to make the order and secure the
registration. 1t should not be delayed an