The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-02-17
; THERE A CAUSE FOR THE
FORCE BILLl
Flows, Cabarrus Co, N. c.,
Jan s. 1891

liable paper, on the amend ments to
the election law of our State in 1889.
First we will notice what President
Harrison has to say in his message to
Congress about election laws, VIZ If
n Intelligent and loyal company of
American citizens were required to
catalogue the essential human condi-
tons of national life, I do not doubt
that with absolute unanimity they
would begin with free and honest cleo.
tions; and it is gratifying to know that
generally there is a growing and non.
partisan demand for better election
laws. But against this sign of hope
and progress must be set the depress-
ing and undeniable fact that election
laws and methods r sometimes Gun
ningly contrived to secure minority
control.
Now we will notice u present
county government and where it places
us. The Legislature appoints magis
trates, the magistrates elect county
commissioners, county commissioners
appoint the registrars and judges of
elections. Also the clerk of the Supe.
rior Court appoints magistrates to fill
vacancies. There may be a majority
of the whole number. He may ap,
point his own personal friends; the
magistrates elect commissioners and
the commissioners pass upon the bond
of the clerk and settle with him his
accounts against the county. Cannot
any one see at a glance the immence
power this puts into the hands of the
clerk? Ny own opinion is drawn
from the teaching of that great man,
Hon. N. W. Woodfn, whose position
was: that no election could 20 safely
be entrusted to any set of voters as it
could to the people the nselves. A
small body of electors, he used to say,
may be bribed or otherwise corrupted,
but the people of North Carolina no
man a corrupt.
The object of every election law
should be-: first, to secure a free, IN
biased casting of every mans ballot
and a fair count of the same; and
second, to convince the voters that
such is the true intention of the law.
If the peoples suspicious are not
thoroughly allayed, they will view
with doubt every act of the officials
who are charged with its execution.
Section l. That section 1874 of the
Code be amended by striking out the
words of the month in the second line
of said section, and insert in lieu
thereof the words in September. We
q see no good reason for this
change.
Second. We note section 2,675
that regist cation books shall be
closed on the second Saturday
preceding each election instead
of on the day proceeding
as the old law vas. l can see no good
reason for this change, unless it is to
keep the ignorant man from register.
ING, as this class don't become inter
ested il elections until a few days be-
fore the election.
3. That section 2,676 of the Code
be amended by adding after the last
word therein the following: No regis
tration shall be valid unless it specifies
as near as may be the age, occupa lion,
place of birth, &c. This means if a
man don't know his age, and where
he was born, he can't register.
SEC. 5. That section 2, 678 of the Code
be amended by striking out all after
the word acting in lieu thereof. This
means in case the two Republican
judges are not on hand at the opening
of the polls, the registrar a fill their
places with men of his party. The
old law required him to Sill the vacancy
from the same political party as the
absent Judge or judges. object to
this. Let it be absolute that both po-
htical parties shall be represented.
This, and this only, strikes me as be-
ing fair.
SEC. 1858. The amendment to this
section allows the voter to deposit his
vote in the ballot box himself, or by
the judges at the request of the voter.
The advocates of this measure call it
an educational qualification, because
the man who cannot read the labels
on the boxes may drop his ballot into
the wrong box, in which they shall be
counted; but it is a whipping of the
devil around the stump; it is no edu-
atlonal qualification at &ll. Many a
shreWd rascal will drop in two or more
ballots without detection by the judges
and will many an honest man who
cannot read 30 lose his vote. Another
is to allow judges at their discretion
to provide different voting places for
State and Congressiona elections.
we should decidedly object to this; it
Is an insinuation to the government
that the State does not intend to do
the t8ir thing, and will encourage the
passage of the Force bill. Reader, do