New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-11-02
S4FEGUARDS AGAINST FRAUD.

S4rEGU4RDS AGAINST FRAUD
II Is Of the utmost importance that there snail
ho q sr,#o;ort force of honest and alert watch
ers ut every polling place In New-1orh o"s
and Brooklyn on Election Day. Wheh May
nard. the confessed thief, stole the STATE Hen'
ate for the benefit of the corrupt Democrauc
machine and the dishonest Democratic rinsS
in the chief cities Of the State, the Rlhs HILL
ayers decided to alter the election laws 50 INA,
tbev coud turn out any sort Of majoritles that
tbcv nlcosed TO turn out for Ring Candidates
in the Ring.rdden cities. Here i'll newborn
tbo Ronublicaus were deprived Of one inspector
mt each polling place. ana two lu'nii""' Il"
spectors to one Republican will serve at each
election booth next Tuesday. lie eAposuieS
made by General Coils and otlrer hepupilcah
watchers after the election Of lSo2 proven pc
yond dispute that the Tammany inspectors Ut
hundreds of polling places were guilty. ol Ill
tmd,ton of rutiianism Of trickery ana dis
honcstv The Tammany Ring proposes to prac-
tsc fraud Il great scale on Eiec'oh D"''
The Mclaughlin Ring intends 10 commit ehor
nous frauds in Brooklyn. Both rings are ue-
tcrmned TO elect their pet candidate Maynard
70 the Court of Appeals no matter now lou
the means may be which they employ 10 prihs
about his success The appalling registration
frauds in Gravesend which have been revealed
nv The Brooklyn Eagle" one of the foremost
Democratic papers Of the country, indicate the
oudocity the desperation and the villany Of the
Kings County Ring. Both in New-iork ana
Brooklyn the managers and tools OF the rihes
intend to pile up big totals of Fraudulent 'o'eS
next Tuesday.
The only check which honest citizens can use
TO restrain the Ring rascals on Election Day Is
by the appointment Of resolutc alert ana lear'
less watchers at each polling place The powers
conferred upon watchers by the law are OF
the greatest value and Importance to honest
elections Here is an extract from the Con-
solidation act
Each candidate for any Office to be filled at the
election may by a certificate IN writing, signed by
him. designate person for eaoh election uis'rlc'
in which he Is a candidate to be present at the can
yass OF the ballots containing the names OF the
persons designated for that office The inspectors
of election and the police and other officers attend
| i,c NJ such election district specified in said GER
| ,inca,e shall make passage for such person 10
the said inspectors, and the said inspectors snail
permit him to be present at the canvass oil all 'he
ballots in the box containing the Dal.ess LOT u'e
Office specified in the said certificate. and SO near
| 70 them that he can see tina: such canvass. ana
the statement required OF the votes found IN each
tox are correctly made. And no inspector of cleo
| ton or board OF inspectors, or police or other
| officer shall allow such person to be molested or
| removed during the canvass of such ballots or
until such statement has been made. completed,
and signed, unless he shall be personally guilty OF
| fraudulent or disorderly conduct
| The section quoted provides for the presence
Of watchers at a place where they can see what
| in going on and il Is made the duty OF the in
| spcctors of election to protect them in TINS
| work The following section indicates the
powers of a duly appointed watcher during the
| counting of the vote:
| II requested by any watcher. the inspectors or
canyassers shall. during the canvass. exhibit any
ard all ballots cast at such election TO such
! watcher. fully opened and In such CONDITION
that he may fully and carefully read and examine
! the same but such inspector or canvasser snail
| not allow any such ballot TO be taken from his
| hands.
1t is plain, then. that the law puts in the
| hands Of the defenders of honest elections for
midablc weapons against the scoundrcls who
are plotting extensive frauds 1t is the duty
| OF all organizations which desire TO keep the
suffrage unantcd, and TO preserve the purity
|
visions Of the law in regard to watchers. Such
organizations should promptly confer with can
| didatcs and should bring about the appoint
mcnt Of a sufficient number Of trustworthy
watchers to observe with unfailing kccnncss
| and vigilance the progress of the balloting and
| counting These watchers ought to be men
| Of so much courage and firmncss that no bully
| ing or ritiianism on the part of Tammany III
spcctors. or Tammany policemen. or Ring ras-
| Gals of any sort, shall prevent them from using
all the powers which the law confers upon
them. After the startling revelations that have
been made Of registration frauds in this coun-
ty. rs well as in Kings County. no one can
doubt that the rings in NcwYOrk and Kings
County are preparing portcntous frauds for
next week. The police departments of Ncw-York
and Brooklyn will be held to Il rigid accounta-
bility by the decent people Of both cities Hard
work from now until after the vote is counted.
| and hard work on Election Day especially. are
| absolutely imperative. or the conspiratOrs will
| be able to carry ont their infamous schemes.
|