St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-10-17
A REPUBLICAN SCHEME
To Shut Out the Votes Of Naturalized
Citizens.
IT MAY EASILY BE BLOCKED.
First Day Of OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES and
Talk About the
Polls.

For the first time under the operation
of the new general election law the poll
books were opened in Minneapolis yes
terday for the registration of voters.
The first hour developed wOful lack of
knowledge OF the provisions of the law,
and developed what may yet be shown
to be willful intention on the part OF
the Republicans to shut out the votes of
many naturalized citizens. 1t appears
that in many precincts, and notably in
those wards, as the Sixth, for instance,
where the foreign-born voter is very
numerous. Republican judges refused
to register the names of such
voters unless they presented their
naturalization papers. Such course is
directly in violation of the law, and
under the act is misdemeanOr punish
able in any court having jurisdiction.
The law provides that an oath shall be
administered to every person presenting
himself for registration, and he shall be
questioned touching his eligibility as an
electOr and his right to vote at that pre-
cinct. One of the questions asked him
is his place of birth, and if he was for
eign born, he lis compelled to answer
WllCu duu WnClC MO
naturalization papers. His oath that
he has obtained his papers is
sufficient, and the Judges are compelled
to register his name. The oath that
man is native-borne is sufficient, and
the oath that he, if fOreign-born, has
been naturalized, is also sufficient.
There is evidence that the Republicans,
knowing the vast majority of natural
lied citizens are Democrats, have organ
ized plan to keep them off the regis
tration books, but it can be easily de-
feated. Let fOreign-born citizens re-
member this. and allow no judge or Re-
publican striker to bulldoze or lntiml-
date them at the polls.
The registration varied considerably
in different parts of the city, in some
precincts being light and in others
very heavy. When it is remembered
that about 800 is the average vote to the
precinct, yesterdays registration,
which averaged nearly 100 to the pre-
cinct, was very satisfactory. 1t is i'm
possible at this time to get at the total
registration, but it is believed to have
been between 5000 and 10000. In sew
eral precincts there was fresh interest
as various questions Of law arose. and 1t
was the general opinion that the judges,
before the next day of registration,
should post themselves in the law. In
many precincts the required oath was
entirely omitted, and in others small
Irregularities were committed.
Some of the scenes at the various reg
iStering places were cOmical in the eX-
IRENE. At one of the South Mime
apOliS precincts a Scandinavian, who
only came over from the old country a
little over week ago, demanded to be
registered. He refused at first to listen
to the statements that he could not vote
unless he had been here four months,
and was going to clean out the place,
when country man of his came in and
fully explained matters. So far as re-
ported but one lady registered. She
doomed up before the Judges OF
one of the First ward precincts
like violet among lot of
thorns, and took the judges so by sur
prise that they nearly tainted. Before
giving her name she asked if she was
obliged to give her name. On being
assured that nothing of that nature was
demanded of her, she gave her name,
etc., and then departed as gracefully as
she had come. A young man, looking
as though he was in a hurry, rushed
into one of the Eighth ward registering
places just before z o'clock, glanced
around the room and then began: MY
name IS H N; have lived in the state
six years; in this district eight months;
voted in this district last time; am sin
gle but expect to get married soon: get
a salary of $20;per week; my fathers
name was John; he died when he was
eighty; guess that's enough; goodbye"