The San Francisco call., 1896-08-25
The Ex : Registrar Makes a
Strong Fight Against the
Measure.
cREswELL's IDEA ADOPTED.
A Test of the Registration Regula-
tions May Be Made Before the
Supreme Court.

EX-Reglstrar OF voters L. j. H. Smiley
battled valiantly yesterday against the
scheme of the Board of Election Commits
sioners-which, by the way, is controlled
by a Democratic maiority-to give the
Populist party two representatives., but
his efforts were in vain, and unless some
change occurs between now and election
day each election board will have FIVE Re-
publican. five Democratic and two Popu-
list mem bers, or practically, in view of the
fusion between the two last-named parties,
seven Democratic mem bers.
True to his promise, given at the last
meeting OF the commission, City and
County Attorney Creswell brought up his
resolutions giving the Populists recogniti tion
and read it as follows:
Resolued, That in the City and County of
San Francisco at the next general and munich
pal election the officers OF election shall be
appointed as follows, viz. In each precinct
the Democratic and Republican parties shall
each have one spectoT one }udge % one CLERK
Popuiist party shall have an inspector and one
judge.
RESOLVED, That, inasmuch as the Democratic
party has already received by appoin tment of
this board one inspector and one judge and
the Republican party one judge each of said
last named parties shall have the following
party one clerk, one additional clerk and one
ballot clerk for each precinct the Republican
party one inspector, one clerk, one additional
clerk andlone ballot clerk for each precinct.
Mr. Smiley took up the cudgels the IN
slant be was recognized by the chair, and
protested strongly against the adoption of
any such measure. He said that the fact
was well known to all that the Democrats
and Populists were in accord. Under the
circumstances, it would be totally unfair
TO the party that he represented to allow
the Populists two representatives on each
board. The officers should be divided be-
tween the two big parties. The Demo-
Gratis and Populists, he said, were prac-
tically one party. and it would be mani
representative and the other only five.
in spite of Mr.. Smiley's objections the
measure was adopted unanimously, the
only Republican member, City Surveyor
Tilton, explaining his vote by saying that
the majority of the election board officers
were bound, from the complexion of the
commission, to be Democratic anyway.
He did not see what difference one officer
made.
The matter of citations to prospective
voters to appear and show cause why their
names should be removed from the doubt
full list was then taken up. 1t was decided
to instruct the Registrar to place special
delivery stamps on each envelope, SO that
the commission can be satisfied that those
who are under suspicion receive their no
tices to appear. The hearing of these mat
ters will be begun on Wednesday next and
continued daily until ali OF the cases are
disposed of.
Bishop Foreman, well-known COM
mercial traveller of this City, will not vote
at the coming election because he failed
to register before leaving on one of his
trips about the State. He was in San Luis
Obispo when the thought struck him that
be would like to vote, and he wrote to a
friend asking him to register the name of
Bishop Foreman by proxy. How the
friend managed to carry out the commits
sion is mystery, but he did so, and the
Commissioners took the name off the list
yesterday because of the law that prohibits
such proceedings.
The Commissioners received word that
proceedings would be begun to test the
question as to whether the Legislature has
the right to restrict the time in which
voters can register to eighty-f five days
before election.
A number of men who have been de-
prived of their franchise to vote will apply
to the Supreme Court for settlement Of
the question.