Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1896-11-18
The School Of PoIiti(S
Salem Yodng Men 10 Debate the
Registry Law.
Chapter on the California and Oregon Election Law

The Salem literary society of I'll
Y. M. G. A. has adopted as the sui
iect for discussion at its Friday eveI
lag meeting: "Resolved that til
legislature at its next session shoul
pass a registration law" This is a
important subject and it is hopefu
sign that the young men of the Y. NJ
C. A. have taken up so practical
question for debate. 1t is to be hopet
they may extend their field of investi
CATION into other departments of no
lie affairs, and make their gathering
n school OF citizenship.
The question OF a proper law fol
primaries, a better ballot law, tie
regulation of freight rates, the free
pass question:, the silver question,
Cuba and a thousand other matters
may be discussed with profit. But
the immediate duty Of citizenship is
to be intelligent and practical and at
the same time have well grounded
principles of government as a back
ground of all their speculations and
conclusions. Located at the seat Of
governments a school of politics would
have a wholesome effect upon legisla-
tion and upon public sentiment.
A REGISTRATION LAW.
The Australian ballot law contem-
plates a registration law, and in the
colonies whence the law sprung the
law provides registry officer in each
precinct, who at certain time before
an election makes up list of voters
in the precinct. There are three days
set for purging the roll before a mag
istrate. During that time anyone
who has not been put on the roll can
appear and show his,evidence Of citi-
zenship. Persons put on who are not
voters can be struck off before the
magistrate on similar showing
made. After these corrections are
made the roll is closed, published and
publicly posted, and no persons but
those on the roll can vote at the elec
tion that follows. This law is open to
objections Iof expense and abuse of
authority by the enrolling officer and
magistrate, who IL they wanted to
use their power for partisan purposes,
could cause a great deal of trouble
and pack the rolls with names of re.
platers and non.residents. In favor
of the law it can be said the citizen
is enrolled without his taking the
trouble to go and hunt up the regis
try officer; publicity would be pro-
lection; and repeating would be
made difficult. But any law only rises
to the level of the intelligence of the
people for whom it is made in its inn
mediate effect: but law is the great
est educator and schoolmaster of the |
people. ,g
SITUATION IN OREGON.
The constitution of this state pro-
vides that "all qualified electors shall
vote in the election precinct in the
county where they may reside for
county officers, and in any county
of the state for state ot1icers, or any
county of a congressional district in
which such electors may reside for
members OF congress-"
1t is the opinion of some of the
ablest men of the state that the con-
stitution is not bar to registration
law, but 1t is plain that the constitu-
tion allows voter great liberty of
choice as to where he may vote for
any but county officers. Still, sas he
would have to vote for county officers
in the precinct. where he resides, it is
not likely that registration law that
would allow him his constitutional
privilege of voting for state and con-
gresslonal officers outside the precinct
would be much taken advantage of.
The fact is that at the June election
In Oregon nearly everybody votes in I
The precinct where he resides, although
this law was openly violated in parts
Of this state. where whole steamer :
oads of voters got off and voted the
whole county ticket.
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