New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-10-16
A DISFRANCHISEMENT PLOT.
I. N'TfFt
BOLD TItIICs OF THE DEMOCRATS IN A
NEW-JER@EY BOROUGH

ONA BASELEsS TECHNICALlIh' IilfAi'
RIGHT TO VOTE THIS YEAR.
Dcckertown. y. J., oct II (spcclall.-Dcmocra"o
matbods which are ms dishonest and dlSrepuao" 40
any ever enforced In Mississippi VIII uhlucS"o." ~
bring about the acknowledgements Of the voters VI
borough, which is included In the to"h VI .'n
These methods were frs. employed at "'o .
held in this township last March. lhey '"oIc -,
and are reported TO have originated IN inc '"'''
Ievis ! Martin presidug Judge OF the sussex county
Conrt Judge Martin 1t is said acted pureS III "
poltical capacity and not as lawyer wiz" ., -
vi,cd his Democratic colleagues oi l'e ,,t,
resort TO such radical measures Inc '""e
have searched In vain the law reports anu i''''D
of the state from beginning 10 end 10 i'i'u P t
for the plan which. 1t Is iepor'eu' -"
helped to carry out. .s
Tho bis,orv Of the dSfranchsrmcnt OF the No''''
Of this borough has been well aired III me s"p'''
Court, and "A decision In the case pIo"si' ~
borouch which case WAS argued last 'uh'' - az
before long II is believed that TINS ueciS'"" VIM
he rendered until the Friday before eieo ION, "'u
i. adverse ar is not handed down even tneh' u'''
will be absolutely r dress for thc voters U. va
hor,ucb This decision involves IN" legail'Y "a tie
township election held last March. when was ul'
first regular election that this borough hau ever NV"
In October. 1891 the citizens of the village h'o
made application 20 have the village 'Tec"'' INV "
hou,b This appicatIoc was granted and the former
discussions
township on questions OF taxation ana approp''''Vo
wore prnc.ically settled. But there was aho.n'r
ouc,ton developed that was more Important ~
creation of the borough meant Che polltich seN''9 "
the village from ,he township. anu TINS was oo"oN'o"
10 the Democrats. the dominant party vi ''
shin Auhouct Deckertown has always given wv"
Rcnubl,can maj critics. they have not maze any P'
.i,l ,r,nr.Sson OH rhc heavy Democratic No'c
% tho tovnsbip IL was the loss " pol'icai 'o''''
over the principal village OF the lo"hs"P '
reused he anger OF the Democrat not OILY !" Wv
township but in the borough Itself NhrH Wv
day came around on March >. 1e92' the p'no''''
members OF the township board OF elec''oh' Ie'"''
receive the ballots OF the borough vperS' Inc.
under the wellknown instructions OF Judge N"',
which were as follows: " Be firm don ie' "e
Republicans bulldoze you.% -,
, Judge Martin Who shares with Charles j. NV W
Newton the duty Of advising the pclnociats " 'F
township ostenslbly contcndci that, iha'h"'h 10
the borough was a separate political suD-u'V''on' "
had nothing to do with the political afia'rS oi 'ho
,oupeb,p This posltion was contrary to the customs
ard rules observed in many similar cases Dat any
Ground was broad enough On which To t'K' sum"
and thus keep the Republicans from vohhS'
The Republicans c0ncndcd their position OlhS
hacked ND by innume.abc preccdens. That Dor 3" /"
voters had Il right to vote for chosen ir'e"o'n''
iusiice OF the peace, constable or any oth'r low P
or;;ar that Ind jurisdiction over them. Il fal be u
e,f,rd. Madison. Marasquan Bcich and many OF"
narcs to vote at all township Il cilonS with Ut %
faction and there was reason. IL was arsu'u wy
the Dockertown voters III ud not DO lE' SUM- WV
tbc,ess the ballots offered by the Dechero"h N',''
,,oro M. nI.ced In the hallotbOx but were III Ken
AWAY I'm any other place except the right one i"'''
,,oe ais, denied the borough voters the Hight To N"'e
fo- the res luton which l. annually oH'T'N """7
The polling places for the next elec'l n IN roo
,,o, offered last March named lcNi L. n the poh"S
MACE in one Of the two dlsr,cs. ANA gave o''.'i q"
10 the Board OF Elections 10 name the p'dAhs paw
,or tho other district ~ some int outside q the
limit, ( the hor ugh or course this r'so'l"" VIZ
carried and II the voters If Derhcit'"h a'e P''
ui,,ed f. cast their ballots this ycar they VIII nave
to travel six miles TO COlevillc In one dre'uoh o'
one and one half miles to the Lewisbnrs cross N,"d
Il, another direction I'm order 10 vote. Hoping against
hone that the supreme Court win hand down a.
cIson favorable to their Interests. the k'puD1c' VI
this village have hired all the available teams III '""
borough to transport them 10 lcville or IN" LOWS
burg Cross Road. 1t is the FIRST une III '"""'S
Years that both polling places have not b en in Deck
eItOwn.
This nrono,ed disfranchisc means that only 20
American citizens win be dcbaircd from the night Of
suffrage II is not large number, ana might nave
ccmparatively little effect on the result 81 e''c' He
state or National election. But Dcckerl"Wh j Only
one q many bor0uchS III the state when ~" ""er'eu
In this III former Ntdn "'"'i D''""H" 49,
and TOWNSHIP, voters have bcca allowed 10 v1t; ~ u
so. nounr paccs: but II these arbitrary methods OF
Democrats are extended. there Is no reason why
thousands on thousands of voters In other b'ioueh'
cannot he disfTanChlscd IT * reported maj II i inc
intention NJ the Democratic managers to effect such
Acknowledgement OF course the only precedent Tor
sucb 4 proceeding would be the action In the case IN
vhic, This borough Is Interested. IL l. notorious uht
the boroughs OF this State generally poll Republican
matorities while the townships ar" usually DchO'
cratic The Democratic party Is pushed to sucn an
v,r,,ne in It's desire to elect Democratic electors ana
bdce Wers the Democratic candidate for Governor,
that he most questionable methods will be employed
udco Martins scheme, which has 20 far operated sue
cessluly in Vantage township may be empioSeo ia
other borough. 900
The Democrats in this borough number about ioo'
hut although theJ will be dlsrancfiscd with III"
Republicans they are willing partners 10 Inc 9'"'"''
A reduction Of "A majority OF fifty In the borough
means gain OF 100 in the total Democratic m"Joil'y
Of Sussex County. II this scheme should b. carried
into effect in every borough. 1t would insure the
election OF Judge Wcrs which is now almost hoprl"
The ONLY thing which will the Republican, is an
early rendering Of the decision IN the pending case
lae opinion - almost SUR 10 BE- favorable" mere
cannot be shadow Of excuse inr II. "lhS "'rNi -
yet the result In the Apporommcnt cn>" before The
Court of Appeals in the state 81 New York makes II
doubtful what the result Will lee. The case. IN ~"
first instance TO test the legality 81 ia" election 10
township was carried before Jn>ic" Magic. of Tia"
supreme Court sitting the Circuit OF Sussex County.
The learned Judge refused 10 act in the matter ana
c.rtIt;ed The case to the Supreme Court on account
Of The nicely and dcllcacy Of the important question
involved The court which heard The argument was
composed OF four Democrats ana one Republican.
There "A question settled on Thursday as 10
whether the township board OF elections would register
the voters 81 the borough. But acting on The
ambiguous opinion OF the Attorney General. II was