New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-30
MR. FRANKS RIGHT TO SIT IN THE HOUSE USE

H.
Washington, May 29.-I}ut little attention has oeeh
given to the contest Of Nathan Frank against John
NJ. Glover, from tho IXth Congressional Dlstnct OF
Missouri This is one Of the ST. Louis districts, being
loo ted entirely within the city limits The Consutu
ton Of the State Of Missouri provides for egstra
ton of voters I'm cities OF 100000 inhabitants
This clause was intended to give the party in power
the control OF the City of st. Louis, the only city
In the State coming under Its provisions. The Legs-
laturn In making the registration law, gave the ap
pointments OF the officers provided for by the law to
the Mayor Of the city. But in 1888 st. Louis had
the temer1ty to elect q Republican Mayor, and the
Legislature Immediately gave the appointment of the
recorder OF votes for St. Louis" to the Governor,
and all the minor officials were appointed by the
recorder of votes so that Democratic supremacy
was protected
The registrars are required by law TO finish their
work forty days before the day Of election The law
provides "a bosd of revision" which consists Of one
member from each Of the twenty eight wards OF the
city twenty days after the registration is concluded,
and twenty days before tho election This board OF
revision meets and sits ten days. Its duties being dc
fined in the law as follows:
aFor the purpose Of examining the registration and
making and noting corrections therein as may be
rendered necessary by either their knowledge of errors
committed, or By competent testimony heard before the
board"
Tho recorder Of votes" sits as chairman Of this
board If appointed After sitting ten days board
Of revision" to act under the above-quoted law the
same men sit two days TO act board Of review
before which any one complaining OF their acts as q
dence tho fact that he IS legal voter, was properly
registered by the registrar and Improperly stricken on
by the :" board OF revision
HOW THOSE PECULIAR LAWS WERE WORKED.
Wards /. o 8, 10, 49, 10, IT, 10, 10, &c and II of
ST. Louis compose the IXth Congressional District.
The members of the Board of Revision Wards 10,
49, 28 and ~ were Republicans, and the total number
of registered voters In these wards 5000. OF
these the Board Of Revision, at the suggestion Of the
membcrs from the wards. struck OF Ell being I'm
properly registered. The other wards had $4,000
registered voters, and up to the last day of the reg
lstraton the Democratic members OF the board nom
Wards 1, 8, II, Is and 10 had emily presented los
names, whilst the members fom Wards . and 10 had
presented none for removal
The last day allowed for revision Saturday,
October 49, Just ten secular days before the election
On that day the Democratic members from Wards
s ana the BY The q s
Democratic members Of the board were stricken from
The registration law docs not require any other
notice to the voter that his name has been stricken
paper Tho names Of these ,e2f voters STRICKEN
from the lists on Saturday evening, October 80, and
were not published until Monday evening" October 25
a Ths board et Re.isw. only %. on the 2sth and
was Issued in which The names Of tie DISTINGUISHED
voters were printed: The result Of this was that
the which 10 s la ID I ihsz Gn ha Ss
been wrongfuly removed, and II Is In evidence that
the Board OF Review only remained In session four
hours on the goth. though importuned TO sit until
the day expired.
These are tho fac,s in the case The counsel for
Mr. Frank, Colonel james NJ Broadhead leading con-
tended that the law was so unjust that Congress
returned 1902 for Glover. 7,102 for Frank and
Gao Of the dlsfranchlsod voters testified that they
which were refused. Hundreds more could have
been obtained II time had allowed Mr.. Frank 10 take
registration books.
HE brief fled in this case contains tabulaed
giving the name and residence OF each. with short
abstract Of his testimony. II is difficult 10 sec how
any one can vote against seating Mr. Frank In the
face OF this testimony and Of the precedents.