The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1894-10-26

This week the Peoples party com
mitteemen issued a notice to voters
that they must register or be deprived
OF their vote. This notice was given
because the city clerk had failed to give
the proper notice of the closing of the
poll books 10 days prior to election, as
is required by law.
The city clerk, who is also candidate
on the Republican ticket for county
attorney, disputes the law and claims
that he does not have to give notice of
closing of the poll books, and, further
more, claims that the books will be open
up to the very night before election.
In this he sets himself above the state
statutes and makes a little law unto
himself.
Any claim that THE REPUBLIC should
make would, in all probability, be dis
puted by this all-powerful and all-wise
authority(?). So the law relating to
registration is printed below and the
reader can come to his own conclusion
as to the meaning, for it is very plain
and definite:
(698). Poll BooKs-S146. It shall be
the duty of the mayor and council of
each city of the first and second class.
Immediately upon the taking effect of
this act, to procure and open for the
registration of voters a poll book for
each ward Of such city, and on the first
Monday in January, A. D. eighteen
hundred and eighty, and each year
thereafter on the same day, to procure
and open on said day like book of
registration for each of said wards
Laws 1879, Oh. 80, 50, March H. Gen
eral statutes of Kansas, 1889, on page 24O
(699). OFFICER OF REGISTRATION- STAT.
Such poll books shall at all times be
kept at the Office of the city clerk of
such city, and the city clerk shall be
the officer of registration of such city,
and it shall be his duty to register all
citizens of said city on such poll books
Oh. 80, So, March IA. General statues
of Kansas, 1889, page 241.
(7O0). REGIsTRATIoN-S148. It shall be
the duty Of all citizens of such city,
after the opening of the books as here
in provided, to apply to the city clerk
and be registered therein, at such time
or times as said books shall be open for
that purpose, as provided in this act;
and such registration, when made as in
this act provided, shall entitle such
citizens to vote in their respective
wards. If such citizens are otherwise
voters at such election,
and they have so caused themselves to
be registered, such registration shall
be prima facie evidence of the right of
such citizen to vote at any election held
in such city subsequent to such regis
tration, and preceding the first Monday
of January next thereafter. Laws 1879,
Oh. 88, 81, March H. General statutes
of Kansas, 1889, page 241.
(701). NOTICE-S149. It shall be the
duty Of the city clerk, upon the receipt
of the poll books in this act provided
for, to cause to be published a notice,
in newspaper of general circulation
in such city, for ten days, notifying the
citizens of such city that they can reg
lister at his Office, according to the pro-
visions of this act; and like notice
shall be published each year, within
twenty days after the first Monday in
January of each year. The notice for
the year eighteen hundred and seventy
nine shall be published within thirty
days after the taking effect of this act
Laws 1879, Oh. 80, So, March A. Gen
era1 statutes of Kansas, 1889, page 241.
(702). Books; OPENED AND CLOSED
Sl40. The poll books in this act pro-
vided for shall be open at all times
during the year for the registration of
voters, except that they shall be closed
for the purpose of registration ten days
preceding any election to be held in
such city. The city clerk shall give
notice of the closing of such books by
a notice published at least five days pre-
ceding the day of such closing, which
notice is to be published in a news
paper of general circulation in said
city, for three days, and shall state the
time of closing said books. Laws 1879,
Oh. 80, Sc, March Ia. General statutes
of Kansas, 1889, page 241.
(704). APPLICATION No person
shall be registered unless he appear in
person before the city clerk, at the city
clerks office, during usual Office hours,
and apply to be registered, and give
his name, age occupation and particu-
lar place of residence, as required to
make the proper entries in the poll
books. laws 1879, Oh. 80, So, March IA
General statutes of Kansas, 1889,
page 242.
(7O8). REMOVAL If any citizen
of said city shall, during the year for
which he has been registered, change
his residence from one ward to another
OF SAID city, he snail apply to said City
clerk to have said removal noted on
said poll books when the same are
open. The city clerk shall register said
person, in the ward to which he has re-
moved; and run a red ink line across
his name in the ward book of his former
residence, and likewise note the trans
fer in the column Remarks in said
poll book, and also indorse on the GER
tificate of registration of said person
the fact of said removal. Laws 1879,
Oh. 80, SO, March 10. ]-Genersl statutes
OF Kansas, 1889, page 242.
Has the city clerk complied with the
law as is plainly laid down in the above
extracts? Has he given any notice,
or caused to be published, in any news
paper in the city of Goodland, a notice
that the poll books would be closed, as
by law required, 10 days preceding the
coming election; which closing must be
made tonight? Can he find any clause
in the above that gives him authority
to keep the books open until the night
before election? The answer to all
these questions must be "no." He has
plainly violated the law.
The claim that it is not compulsory
L