Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-11-12
ILLEGAL VOTING.

The San Francisco Gail, referring to what
it charges to be fact, that great deal of
illegal voting characterized the recent cleo
ton in that city, says:
Probably the only way to stop Illegal voting is
to make lis discovery probable and its punish
ment certain. The Illegal veters would pick a
pot rket or roo a till iur the moucy they obtain
by casting fraudulent vote. If the chances for
discovery are made as great in one case as in the
other they could have no particular choice be-
tween the two offenses.
This is true. The rewards are not suf-
fcient to appeal to the cupidity of rascals
to induce them to turn traitor to, their
masters. Instead of paltry $4,000 di-
vided into sums of 500, now provided by
law for election rewards, and not 81 600 of
which is claimed at any general election,
the State ought to make the rewards $500
in each case, and put the aggregate of pay
ment at 100000. With such incentive
there would be revelations through which
justice might be done. The men who have
heretofore hired others to register and vote
fraudulently would realize the great peril
assumed, and as a result would engage less
in the nefarious business. The Courts
are altogether too lenient in furnishing
fraudulent voters who are detected. 1t is
very rarely that one is sent to the peniten-
tiary, and only occasionally is one con-
fined for any considerable period in the
County Jail. An offender in this city.
who was brought to bar for attempting to
vote Illegally on Tuesday last, on con-
viction, received a sentence of but 100
days in Jail. The offense is one Of such
rarity that the would-be vote thief should
at least have had the full extent of pun
ishment for misdemeanor. The attempt
to stead vote might, with perfect justice,
be ranked upon level with fraudulent
voting, which is a felony. The two differ
not at all IN intent, and only in the success
achieved
The Gail declares that the system obtain
ing in that city, of having precinct Regis
try Boards, gives the greatest opportunity
for illegal voting; it adds:
The opportunity .or illegal voting now lies in
the precinct registration. 1t is lot possible t.
put the work of registration in l76 precincts ia
competent hands. In some cases the officers
appointed will be found incompetent, and in
others dishonest Between the two bosses who
want 10 make votes for their side find an oppor-
tunity to put several false names ON the voting
lis. Whether the remedy is to abolish the
present registry system altogether or to group
precincts so as to reduce the number of wards
to less than twelve is Il matter Tor discussion
We are surprised at the expression that
in city of $4,000 inhabitants it is "in-
possible" :" to find 52S honest and compe-
tent men willing to preside over precinct
registration. 1t is humiliating if true, but
we do not believe it is truth. 1t may be
fact that the honest and competent men
are not provided, but that it is not possible
to secure the right material is error. 1t
may very well be questioned whether the
double-headed registry system in San
Francisco is the best. In addition to the
Great Register, there is precinct registra-
tion, system unknown to other cities or
of the State, and the need for which is
not felt. 1t is possible to have a Great
Register honestly made; why then will
not precinct registers made from it by
transcription answer all the purpose, and
free the metropolis of 176 minor Boards?