The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-05-09
rHE xxsPzcroRs OF xnxofrox BILL
The lessons for Il.

zHE xvsPHcroRs or ELECTION srIE
The Reasons FOR II.
To THE EDITOR OF TEE sur-Ss. The new
inspectors Of Election BILL relating to the city Of
New York. which has been signed BY Goyerno
Flower. amends the former enactment which
governed elections In this city by providing fol-
three instead Of four inspectors. Two are Ia
be members OF the party that cast tho major.
ity vote for State officers at the last preceding
election the other one Is to be member OF
the party polling the next highest number OF
votes for State officers at that election. The
reduction OF the number OF inspectors from
four to three is q wise and salutary move in
tho proper direction. Some objection was
made By the editors OF Republican newspapers
and BY some Mugwumps TO this change in the
law. / cannot blame Republicans who oppose
the change: but the Mugwump Democrat who
inveighed against 1t was ignorant OF the opera
tons OF the law. and cannot be Democrat in
principle.
A brief citation Of some OF the provisions OF
tho old law will show Mt q glance how the Re-
publicans took advantage OF 1t to keep tho
Democrats from registering and polling the
full Democratic vote at each general election.
Section 1870 Of the consolidated laws pro-
the reception OF a vote after person had reg
istered. q majority OF the inspectors must con-
cur and agree to the registering or the receiv-
Ing OF the vote; and 1t was made q misde-
meanor for any inspector OF election. or two
inspectors OF election. either to register q
voter or to receive vote unless one Of the
other two concurred. Under this provision OF
the law, and since Mr.. Platt who is willy poll
tician. became the leader OF the Republican
party. the two Republican inspectors in each
OF tho 8S7 election districts bent all their
efforts toward hindering and preventing people
from registering. and. on election day. hinder
Ing. delaying. and obstructlng the reception Of
votes In order to keep down the Democratic
majority In the city and county Of New York.
knowing that by doing so they were effectually
serving the Republican politicians II they sue
ceeded in keeping q few persons in each Of
these SS7 election districts from voting.
These facts can be clearly established by
proof. few incidents may be- cited to show
the plan Of operation laid down by the Repub-
lcan managers during the last cam paiRn. and
carried out by their willing tools. the Republi-
can inspectors Of election. In the Seventh
election district Of the Second Assembly dis
trict. two Republican inspectors. named Dono-
van and Reilly. refused to allow registered
voter to vote on election day, After a good
deal deal 81 trouble In the preparation OF papers.
tice Lawrence Of the Supreme Court, and
t sSsyed It upon these n,spectors: They said
the writ was genuine or not. and therefore dis
81 0SeSed the m1 S For this 9n the 18th
and inr thsy were fined S2SS each
the General Term. and the latter aiiirmed the
also been Indicted for that offence but have
not yet been tried; BY the way. Mr.. Nicoll.
" il the Twenty: third election district OF the
Fifth Assembly district two Republican inspec-
tors one Of them being drunk. absolutely re-
register twentY-nine persons who appeared
personally and answered under oath every
RSs to sn s be- ss
voters in their books. Here was a most
thSns sasnsa ss 1hese two pess %
To ya 5e St red Ees
ment The two Republican inspectors violated
the law by refusing to register these citizens;
and instructed the inspectors upon til" the
to ss hs H
stated that they had both written and oral In.
strIctions from the leaders Of the Republican
70 obey, Appeal being taken to the courts itt
Judge Barrett granted mandamuses in six
to se six Of be
twenty; nine that they refused to register. they
being the b, only ones Of the twenty-nine who
matter. Twenty three citizens were thus de-
E5yHa Of yPte ths district This WI
Of the law on the part OF these in
that this was one Of the districts In which Gen.
Democratic district; Therefore these efforts
|ority in the district for tho purpose Of elect
Italy successful Tor Cen Mcmahon was s Beaten
down. carrying it.
Il tSs fsa ds s e GRe
presented himself ior registration there ap:
5eaTias date Of fsSs The Sa nH eon
Irmation name. believe. which had not been been
given at the time he was nsturaized. The
Republican inspectors refused to register Mr..
Pc the identical person whose name was set
Iorth IN the naturalization paper. They knew
the house in Which Il" ten
walled themselves q the technical error and
ia and I've sdu. e 10 I daS he
enSy aas thour fas sas sd S 1 4
'tances occurred in every election district
,iew to Keeping Roswell T. Flowers majority
iown In the. city OF New York. hoping thereby |
hat the majority given for Fassctt In the In |
error counties, would overcome, the small ma
ority, which the Republioans hoped Flower
he skilful and able efforts Of Senator Hill. |
PUBLICAN inspectors In the city and county OF
New York were disappointed In tho result |
'ectIons q the Republican leaders to the Re.
publican inspectors the majority for Roswell
thousand by their efforts, The ejority should
ave n natural Democratic majority here OF |
hat humber. 1t should he borne in mind |
me thousand and fifty votes and two votes |
iept out BY the two Republican inspectors in |
'ach OF the 1897 election districts, Nv merely |
,,ot consenting to receive them. would have |
defeated tho Presidential nominee OF the Dem |
Al tho next Presidential election the Repub-
o harass. annoy. and ohstruct Democratic