The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-03-07
The Work to Be Performed
by Board OF Registration.
Estimate That 5000 Registry Voters
Will Be Attended TO This Year.
Also 1900 Property Owners Whose
Qualifications Must BE Ascertained.


OF canvassers and registration created by
the recent act OF the General Assembly
are two fold: First, to take entire
charge OF the registration, which has
heretofore been cared for by the
city clerk and his assistants;
and, secondly, to canvass, correct,
and certify the voting lists OF real estate,
personal property and registry voters,
which duties have hitherto been dis
charged by ten boards of canvassers of
five members each, assisted by % clerks,
or total OF " persons having that mat
ter in charge.
At the present time there are 1914
registry voters on the p voting lists in
this city, and as a Presidential election
occurs in 1896, it is fair to estimate that
at least 1900 persons will personally APP
ply to this board for registration during
the year 1895, or an average of more than
go persons per day for each secular day
during the remainder of the year.
BY the terms of section of the act
creating this board, their office must be
open every secular day for the purpose of
registration, and the law of the State re-
quires that each one Of these 5000 persons
shall be personally examined concerning
the following facts, and that a written
record of the same shall be made in each
case, to wit: First, in the case of native
born citizens, the name of the person,
street and number Of residence, date OF
birth, place of birth, when he
last came TO the State and when
he last came to the city. And,
in addition, in the case of
foreign- born citizens, the date OF landing
in the United States, place of landing in
the United States, the time of naturaliza-
tion and the name Of the court conferring
naturalization.
Ii will readily be seen that the work Of
registration alone is OF no little magni-
tude. In addition to the foregoing, there
are about twelve thousand persons now
upon the voting lists and presumably
qualified TO vote upon real estate or per-
sonal property qualification. Some Of these
are qualified by ownership of real estate in
fee simple, some by ownership in fee tail,
and some have a life interest in real
estate, some have an interest in real
estate during the life OF another person,
and some are reversioners or re-
mainder men. Some are qualified
by ownership OF real estate in
the right of a wife and vote thereon by
virtue of there being children by such
marriage, some are qualified as heirs-at-
law of undivided estates, some as
devisees under the wills of collateral
relatives Of different name, or
even Of mere strangers, some are qualified
by virtue OF ownership Of real estate in
other cities or towns in this State, some
by the payment of tax upon personal
property, ETC., etc.
No systematic examination of these
different supposed qualifications has been
made for many years, and it can be read
lily seen that it is matter of great diff
Guilty to ascertain the record evidence
thereof.
1t is ndoubtedly true that many names
are improperly upon the property lists in
this city, and there can be
no better time than the pres
ent TO enter upon a systematic
and thorough examination OF these lists,
with view to determine the exact quail
fications OF each person thereon and re-
moving therefrom all persons not pos
sessing the requisite legal qualifications.
Under the constitution and laws of this
State, members OF the City Council of
Providence are elected by these voters
alone, and the integrity of this body de-
pends upon the accuracy Of these property
lists. The State law also requires that the
street and number should be given
opposite the name Of ench person upon
the list. This has, however, hitherto
been done in Providence only In the case
of registry voters, possibly because the
task of ascertaining the addresses of 1900
properly voters was OF so great
magnitude. that those heretofore having
the matter in charge have hesiiated TO
enter upon il. IL has, however. been done
in the cities of Newport, Pawtucket and
Woonsockct.
In addition TO these labors, innumer-
able changes OF residence are constantly
taking place. IL appears by the Provi-
denco directory OF 1894 that 1905 persons
changed their residences since the year
1898, necessitating, OF course, an cores
ponding transfer upon the voting list in
such cases.
In addition to the above there were 1896
deaths recorded during the last year in
this city, of whom a large proportion were
voters, and whose names should, in con-
sequence, be removed from the lists. SO,
also, many persons have become disquali-
fed through transfer OF their real es-
tate, either by her own voluntary convey
ance, or by foreclosure sale, or by sale
under execution or decree OF court, or by
general assignment for the benefit OF
creditors.
During the past year 5000 instruments
were filed for record In the Office of the
recorder OF deeds, and assumlng a like
number TO be fled for record during the
present year, IL can readily be seen how
great Is the labor Of keeping trace OF such
disoualincations