The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-08-26


The certificate feature in our registration
system, though undoubtedly well-intended.
was mistake. 1t should be eliminated at
the earliest opportunity. Though intended
to protect against fraud, it can have no
such effect, but whatever effect it may have
must be to facilitate corrupt practices. This
has been demonstrated by experience In
numberless instances.
1t is assumed that all good citizens are in
favor Of honest elections; of allowing all
to vote who are entitled to the franchise: of
preventing those who are not entitled. and
of throwing no needless impediments in
the way of its exercise by qualified electors;
every facility for casting an honest vote;
every needful safeguard against dishonest
voting. These principles are at the found
alton Of our system of popular government
and are essential to its perpetuity.
Experience has shown that the require
ment of registration Is essential to assured
fensible and wise restriction on the exer-
else of . constitutional right. 1t puts the
citizen to some inconvenience, but not
more than IL compensated by the added
protection which it affords him against
having his vote nullifed by that of per-
son not entitled to the suffrage. He who
does not value this additional safeguard
and the exercise of his privilege highly
enough to get registered, would be quite
likely to neglect his voting privilege on the
day of election.
But the issuance of certificate to any
person who is registered, and the making
of the possession OF such certificate prinsa
facie evidence Of the right to vote, is quite
a different thing. Under the present sys-
tenn, which requires the division of cleo
toral districts into precincts of small size,
and that voters shall have been residents
of this small precinct for thirty days next
before the election, it cannot but be COM
petent for any such person to find one or
more well-known residents of the precinct
to identify HIM if challenged.
Then, he who is truly citizen, and who
has resided one year in the state and thirty
days in the precinct, and who has attended
to the matter of registration, can gain moth
ing by possession of certificate. But in the
case of one who has registered and removed
from the state or died, his certificate
might be transferred TO, obtained for, or in
some way fall into possession of another,
in whose hands it would be prima tacie evil
dence of that others right to vote, thus
throwing upon the election officers the
onus Of proving that the person offering
was not entitled to vote. 1t can be OF no
benefit to the honest or well-known, but
might greatly facilitate the commission
of fraud by those SO inclined.
As TO the question that has been raised
about duplicating lost certificates, from
many points of view it would be danger
Gus thing to do. OF course no officer would
be justified in duplicating lost certificate
unless satisfied as TO the identity of the ap-
plicant and tine fact of the loss of the
original 1t is at least hazardous to invest
with discretionary powers in such cases an
officer who may be an intense partisan and
interested in the result of a pending cleo
ton. A duplicate might be granted to a
dishonest and refused TO an honest appll-
cant.
The requirement of registration is sum
cient safeguard, and the law should be so
amended as TO stop at that. Then by
thorough organization and due vigilance,
the casting of votes by the unregistered
and unqualified could be effectively pre-
vented. And here is where devotion to the
duty of citizenshipis imperatively required
There is no greater crime than the corrupt
exercise OF the suffrage. 1t attacks and
endangers our whole superstructure of
free government Ii must be suppressed.
1t is not sufficient to merely challenge
suspected voters and compel them to
swear in their votes. but there should be
careful memoranda of all such. And in
terest in the matter should not end with
the excitement of election day. Each per-
son suspected OF Illegal voting should be
followed up, and il found guilty prose-
cuIed- In this manner the practice woaid
be soon suppressed. and all others must
prove futile. 1t is worth much time and
effort TO secure honest elections, for unless
there shall be general and determined