The morning call., 1890-08-07
REGISTRATION.
4 Quiet Meeting of the Election
Commission.
Registrar Smiley Appoints the Democratic
Clerks, and strother Also Makes
Concessions.

The meeting of the Board of Election
Commissioners yesterday morning did not
prove to be the bloody battlefield that was
anticipated by some.
The lion had been shorn and poison eX-
tracted from the serpent's fangs before
they came together in the meeting, and to
the disappointment of many political barna-
Giles, who swarmed in the anteway, the
meeting passed off like a Sunday-sehool
picnic.
There were present Mayor Pond, presid-
ing, with Flournoy, Strother, Smith and
O'Brien. Registrar Smiley sent commune
cation stating that he was quite i'll and
could not attend. He was accordingly rep
resented by his chief deputy, Louis Jacobs.
The reason why a lively battle was ex-
pected was because Registrar Smiley had
declared he would not appoint certain
Democratic clerks whose names had been
proposed to him, as he believed, upon the
dictaUion of William Broderck, though os-
tensibly at the request Of the Democratic
County Committee.
MIR. Smiley feels that Mr.. BrOderick (who
was once Registrar HIMSELF is taking alto
gether too much interest in The concerns of
the Registrars office, and ever since the po-
ltical pot began to simmer these two giants
have assumed very hostile attitude toward
each other, while Mr.. Strother's chief occu-
patton has been to shake a red rag in the
lace of his antagonist. and the plan he has
pursued in doing it has been completely sue
cessful.
FREDERICK AS AN AUTHORITY.
For instance, whenever question has
been raised about the conduct of the Reg
istrar's Office, or that officers duties Mr..
StTother has always turned to MIR. BrOder
lex for whatever information he desired,
ana never failed to quote him as to the
proper thing for the Registrar to do. MIR.
Smiley regarded this as a diseourtesy that
amounted almost to an insult. and hence
his refusal to appoint the extra Democratic
Clerks requested of him.
Some sort of a soothing decoction had
been administered Mr.. Smiley previous to
the meeting, however, because when it was
called and the Registrars list OF appoint
ments submitted for approval, it was found
that the names at hrSt objected 10 had been
added; and without even the suspicion of
surprise on Mr.. StrOtheTs cOuntenance, the
list was approved without objection. The
appOintees are as follows:
Max Marschauer, Il. L. Meyers, c. l. Wilder,
T. 5. Fay, W. L. Dnan. I. +. Clarity, john
Williams, Thomas CtOke, W. j. Kennedy. W. e.
White, F. FitZhugh Pierre Jacobs, L. PsloleZZi,
W. Ii. L. COlran, Z. L. W. BreldenStein, j. c.
Feeney, w. G. Guirey, Julius kadstODe, Gus
tavus Gunzendoffer, j. ID. Gibbs, j. L. Meares
and Charles ArmeS.
THAT OBJECTIONABLE CLAUSE.
Mr.. Strother was anxious to know why
it was that the notice of registration had
not been published. and was informed that
il he would read the morning papers he
would find II.
Mr. O'Bren remarked with noticeable
irony that he was sure lie saw 1t, because
he remembered particularly Of reading the
Objectionable clause inserted ut Mr. StrOth-
er's instance, that " ii is not imperative to
be registered at the new City Hall, kept
as q matter Of convenience"
Ii Will be remembered that when Mr.
StTother proposed this clause at the previ-
Gus meeting of the board a loud cry was
raised against it by the Republicans, as be-
ing Democratic scheme Co facilitate
"stuffing" in the precincts. Precinct regis
tration is all done in five days, and imme-
diately before election The immense rush
to the precincts in that time aud the cOnSe-
quent haste necessary to have the names
ready for the Grand Register diminishes the
possibility of discovering fraud about 80
per cent. Hence, the Registrar has always
advised citizens to be registered at the cen
trail office and avoid precinct registration as
much as possible.
This reference to the subject made Mr..
StTOther very indignant and he vigorously
repudlated the Implication that the COM
mission desired to force precinct registra-
ion. Sail7 he:
The law makes it optional with the voter TO
register al the precinct In the central once. a
clause inserted in tile notice Informing the
voters that II was not imperative 10 register in
the central Office. That clause was inserted be-
cause the Democratic members OF this commits
sion recognize The fact that a large number OF
the voters OF this city are wage workers. Ii
they had 10 come 10 this office To register
they would lose half day, and they cannot
afford TO do so. We have Informed them merely
that n Is not imperative for them 10 come here.
They Can walk half 4 block from their homes
ana get registered.
MR. sTROTHFR AMENDS
The irate Commissioner insisted it was
not right to mpute to the board the attempt
TO force precinct registration, and lie did not
wish any false impressions TO 60 out. To
say the board Is trying to force anybody is
untrue.
MIR. OBrien, considerably more in earnest
this time, replied that he had particular ref
eTence to the clause in the notice that said
the City Hall Office is merely opened for the
convenience Of voters. That lie said, is
untrue. The law required the Office to be
open for ninety days, and a great deal of
pains and money had been expended there
10 facilitate registration.
After thinking this phase of the subject
over for minute, Mr. StrOther reached
the same conclusion. 1t was not the in
tention Of the commission. he explained TO
leave any such mistaken impression, aud
as the notice is really misleading, he would
suggest an amendment. He proposed that
the clause III question be changed to read;
1t is not imperative TO be registered at the
new City Hall, but il is al the option of the voter
to register at the City Hall or at the precinct
boards.
This was regarded as an Improvement,
and the alteration was ordered made.
Nothing further coming up for considera-