The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-10-22

list, with this remark by the precinct in
spector opposite: Not lived in the precinct
required number of days All these sixty
seven names have been put down by the two
Democratic members of the board, j. ,.
Hart and John d. Patten. The Republican
member refused to sign ii, and they are all
rated as doubtful by these two Democratic
dignitaries for that same reason.
Nov, as matter of fact, have had my
spoilers on those two houses for the last SIN
weeks, have carefully canyasSea t'i en- ''nre
and again, and I'm satisfied that they are
not stuffed and that no attempt mas Deen
made to stuff them.
but" continued the Registrar warming
up to his story, there is an interesting and
significant circumstance. Right 10 between
those TWO houses is the Overland Lodging
house, owned by Morris a. Livingston, a
member of the Democratic County Commit
tee and the most rotten nest Of Democratic
corruption there is in San Francisco.
"Not a single person from that house has
been named by these officers as doubtful,
Both Norris Levingston and his brother,
Isaac, have registered from that house,
when their residences in the directory are
given at 1915 0ctayia street and 1916 OFar
rel street, respectively. Whenever there is
an election approaching they do not live out
in the Western Addition, but have gone
down to the Overland, where they can work
the district to better advantage.
NOW, then, this brings Us to the subject
of citing persons about whose registration
there is doubt. | preached the matter be-
fore the Election Commission to-day, and
you heard the explosion that it caused.
SOMETHING RADICALLY WRONG.
81 tell YOU, sir. | am convinced OF what
said, that there is something radically wrong
and rotten about this business of citing, and
every lawyer with whom | have consulted
agrees with me. Let ME read you the law.
Here it is, Section 81:
It shall be the duty Of the Registrar to forth.
with notify all persons certified as doubtful Of
said fact, and TO cite them before the Board OF
Election Commissioners, as provided 10 Section
of tnIs acT, IN cases where the Registrar has
reason TO believe persons have been Improperly
registered, and Tie same proceedings shall be
had as TO citation aud cancellation as provided
for in said section.
"This refers 10 Section 6, which reads as
follows:
Sec. 6. The Registrar shall constantly in
form himself, by examination and inquiry, as TO
the condition of the precinct registers and the
legality OF The names therein, or demanding to
be placed thereon, and shall see that none but
legal voters are registered. Should The Registrar
have reason to believe that any name or names
upon Tie precinct register Is improperly or lile-
gally there, it shall be his duty forthwith 20 send
written or printed notice, by postal card or
Otherwise, 10 such person, directing the same
to his address found in the directory, or in
case his name is not IN The directory. then TO the
address OF such person opposite tie name on tile
register Of the last preceding election at which
show cause, before the Board OF Elec-
ton Commissioners, why said Commissioners
shall not cancel said name. IL SUCH person fan
for five days TO appear and establish the legality
OF such name the day fixed for the hearing,
and ON the certificate OF the Registrar that no.
lice aud publication IN accordance herewith has
been made the board shall inquire into the Use,
and II appears 10 the satisfaction OF the board
that such maine is Improperly upon the precinct
register then said board shall maNe ana enter
order directing the Registrar to cancel such
name or names. But The parties may appear
before said board at the hearing and show cause
against said Order and If the board fluids them
properly registered or entitled 10 registry an
order shall be made accordingly which shall be
final. Tie board may designate any one Of the
Commissioners 10 hear and determine such mat
tiers.
WEAKNESS OF THE LAW.
LET me show the weakness of that law
It says if | ind any names on the register
that think are improperly there 1t shall be
nv duty TO send notice forthwith TO such
person, directing the same to his address as
found IN the directory, or in case his name
IS no. in the directory, then to the address
of such person opposite the name on the
register OF the last preceding election at
which such name was voted, requiring him
to show cause, etc.
Suppose, as in my own case, that the di-
rectoTy does not give the persons present
address, and that he was not Oh the last
register, what Is going 10 be done? The
man fails 10 receive his notice, does not APP
pear, ana Lt6 COMMISSIONERS, dctll8 uUIeI
the instructions of that law, decide his case
a fraud and order him stricken from the
rolls. That Will be the result in 30 per cent
of the citations, and all those persons will
find themselves disfranchiSe1.
1.-The whole scheme, | tell you. sir, is an
Infamous fraud. The Democratic attorneys.
who laid such great stress on the law be-
fore the commission. came to me after the
meeting and acknowledged that | was right
about ii. i tell you again it is an Infamous
fraud.
THE DOUBTFULS ARE REPUBLICANS.
These persons who are put down as
doubtfuls are all Republicans. If they
want of time cannot respond to them. the
commission has planned 10 have them can
celed. You can readily see what q daunable
scheme it IS
"All this fuss about the register being
stuffed is a big dust kicked up by the DEM
ocratS to hide their own r0ttenness. They
are crying fraud and yet they mean to
create so much confusion in a pretended
search for it that the real fraud will not be
discovered.
"Already a loud voice from the Demo-
cratic County Committee has made de-
mand that everybody registered from the
precincts be cited. Wuat would be the re-
suit? The election would be practically de-
feated."
One of the loudest howls of fraud, it was
explained in the Registrars office, was made
by |. Messenger, who made oath before the
commission that lie resided at 1856 Bush
street, when as a matter OF fact he resides at
go Suffer street with his wife and mother,
and every one in the neighborhood knows it.