The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-12-04
THE WEATHER.
OUR ELECTION LAWS.

oUh ELECTION LAWS-I.
1t Is a safe prediction to make tina
elections in Montana will be very clos
for years to come. The past and pres
entcomplications not alone justify sue
comment that repeated political trouble
injure the good name of the state an
threaten to establish presidents which
are abhorrent to ~law-abiding people ane
degrade popular elections in an uncom.
NOR degree.
The time has come, therefore, to lool
seriously at the situation; and in view
of the fact that the legislature will.
meet very soon, ! thought it not mop
perfume to advance a few suggestions
which may ultimately tend to perfect
simple methods of free and fair cleo.
tions. Putting aside all party preju-
dices and regarding alone the future
welfare of the whole state rather than
a temporary vantage to any partisan or
ganlzation, the most important local
public question before the people of
Montana to-day is the need Of election
reform legislation.
The state must have a system OF laws
which will protect the people against
raudulent practices; a system which
will guarantee to them that when the
polls close and the ballot boxes are
opened the judges count will be honest
and accurate; a system which will SO
definitely and clearly lay down pos
tive rules for certifying returns, and
counting them when received, as to in
sure by the canvassers a plain aggrega-
ton of tabulated returns, free from
elimination, free from purely technical
points made solely for party gain, and
free from faint or suspicion of rascallty
on the part Of any person clothed by law
with an official duty connected with the
making of a return or canvass of any
election results whatsoever.
Ii, therefore, any apology is necessary
for the several articles to appear in The
INDEPENDENTS columns during the next
few weeks let it be found in my personal
observation of our present election laws.
and in the ambition which, in common
"toh co hiohy opICIS L 1901, w Keep our
state we'll abreast of the times IN pro-
gressive election reform.
After taking up the registration law
flrst and discussing proposed amend
ments to it, / hope to pass in another
paper to the consideration of the Aus
tralian ballot law, then to the agitation
OF a Corrupt Practices Act for Montana.
and finally to write upon the safest
methods of counting and canvassing
votes and what limitations should be
put upon the powers of canvassipg
boards.
AT the time of the adoption of the
registry and Australian ballot laws it
was generally feared by the legislature
that defects would be found in the an
pllcation of those statutes, but it was
impossible at the time to ~foresee lust
what's such defects might be. Practical
experiments could alone demonstrate.
The dominant political party had
pledged itself to the adoption of a regis
tratlon law and earnestly entered upon
the fultllment OF that pledge shortly
after the Sixtee.4h legislative session
opened. In the many conferences which
were had between the members as to
what general plan of registration to
adopt there was. however, no partisan
discussion and no division of sentiment
upon the proposition that the territory
would be benefited by a statute reouir-
ing the registration of qualified electors.
The original bill was introduced by Mr..
Moore, a member of the house from
Deer Lodge county, who, together with
MIR. Haskell, of Dawson, Mr.. Mantle. of
Silver Bow, and one or two others (ner-
maps l may include myself worked
faithfully to frame a law the operation
OF which would be simple yet effective.
All the members of the house sat in spe-
clal committee upon the measure. and
II l recollect correctly it was upon the
suggestions of Mr.. johnson and Mr.
Ray, Of Custer, and Mr.. Flowers, of Gal
latin, that he present clauses RELATING
to transfer certificates" were inserted
for the purpose of working as little
hardship as possible upon stock men
and others apt to be moving from place
to place during the fall of the year.
The main features of the bill were
taken from the Nevada statutes. We
examined the Colorado and other regis
tration laws, but found that the condl-
lions of other states were somewhat
different from those in Montana, so
that much originality was necessary in
any bill to be applied to our state. AS
have said, it was repeatedly stated in
the discussion of the proposed measure,
when we tried to anticipate its workings,
that we could hardly expect to enact a
law which would be perfect at first, but
as the defects might appear subsequent
legislatures could cure taem. Two ses-