New-York tribune., 1896-11-15
many machines may be trusted as correct re-
corders Of the peoples choice
A HOSTILE CRITICISM

ton with the City Club committee. and who has
invented ballot machine which he hopes soon
to place on the market. said that all of the ma
chimes which have been patented are defective
and unfit for use.
Absolute secrecy" he said "is the first requis-
ite Of the voting machine and in that respect
they all defective. And no machine should
be used" he added (which some unscrupulous
person may make imperative by tampering
with"
II is said by many expert mechanics that the
injection of chemicals into machines Of the
cording kind may destroy the records, and that
there many ways by which desperate men
could render the registering mechanism in the
other machines worthless.
What will the poll clerks do was asked.
with man who walks into voting cabinet
and refuses 10 come out for hours? While he is
in the booth other voter have his vote
recorded unless the authorities have another
machine at hand which may he used until the
obstruc,ionlst feels like evacuating the booth
At the time when the various machines were
critically examined ii was also found that there
was only show of secrecy about the balloting.
and that even in those cases where the voting
apparatus inclosed by metal cabinet the
persons on the outside could tell by the moving
OF the springs how many names had been voted
upon and in which row they appeared
TWO KINDS OF MACHINES
Although the central feature is the same in all
the machines. there really two kinds OF bal
lot machines, or cOfnnlnatlCn OF the TWO xmas
Recorders. or machines in which tally sheet is
employed. which the voter records his choice:
and registers in which mechanical counters
for each candidate the ticket. ar used The
registering machines have the advantage o. show
ing the result Of an election more quickly than
the recording machines, but the manufacturers
OF the recording machines say that they sacri-
fee speed for safety while IL preserves a com
plete record OF the election for future use. The
reports from the Patent ONCE show that there
ho.. hoo NAT n
ballot machines. Among the patcOtees are j.
H. Myers. J. McTammany. J. W. Rhnes. 5. E.
Davis. X. Dongan. l.. w. Harmsen ana FL A.
Clifford.
The McTammany machine. which Is Of the
recording type. requires no booth Ii Is NeTil-
cal steel box. IA inches high. IA inches vide and
3 inches deep. and when in use II is mounted on
an upright metal standard which Is securely
fastened 10 the floor Of the polling place II mas
a fixed face plate on which are printed the titles
OF the offices TO be filed. Beneath these inscrip-
tions there is slot in the plate through which
the names Of the candidates Of The various par
ties are exposed. The voter turns hand wheel
until the name Of his candidate comes to view
and then he presses knob opposite the name
and his vote is recorded on a tally sheet within
the box.
No booth or other device obstructs the view
Of the machine during the process OF an election:
and not only the voter but the machlAe ana an
Its parts are exposed 10 view uhiI ne poi's
close when II is detached from the standard It's
door closed locked and sealed, and returned 10
the city clerk in city election. or In a preclnct
OF a town to the town clerk who breaks the
seal, unlocks the machine and removes Inc talIy
sheet which Is counted either by hand or by "A
specially arranged counter. The 'nanuiacturers
advise that the machine he placed at the end of
the room within five or six feet ~ The wall ana
opposite the entrance or door. the face of the
machine containing the balof ana push khops
being toward the wall. while the back OF the
machine its door open. Is exposed TO he audi
ence and election officers. Projecting from be-
hind the machine Is a lever. under the con''oi oi
an officer who stands at the OF the machine.
10 move the tally sheet after each elector has
voted.
TWO ESSENTIALS TO BE MET
In speaking Of his machine. Mr.. McTammany
said:
There are two essentials IN voting machine
First, a certainty that when a voter operates
machine his vote is sure TO count; second. that
in making count for candidate the machine
| must be arranged as TO prevent any poss!b4i-
! ty Of voting for two candidates for the same
Office unless IL he in mult-candidate group
Mr.. McTammany said that his machine was
perfect in these two essential features Ihls ms
| machine was used in Worcester. Mass. al tho
| last election. The result was satisfactory 10
many Of the voters. and il Is believed that INC
! system will be indorsed by the people or
Worcester by making use Of the machines
at the next city election. other Improvements
also under way.
E. H. Tovne. City Clerk OF Worcester. says:
! II have received opinions from many Of the
| precinct officers who used the machines. and
! while the majority commend the mechanical con-
| the work they do not regard them as insuring
| the secrecy OF the ballot"
| The United States. or Davis voting machine
had its first public trial on November , at Hor-
| re,sville n r. and according 70 the views cX
pressed on the day after the trial the experience
was such that the municipal authorities VIII
favor voting hereafter 10y machinery Ihe
manufacturers say that their machine was a
perfect novelty to The people Of Hornelsye ell vile.
for use in that city after having exhibited them
at the fair.
HOW THE DAVIS MACHINE WORKS.
This machine consists OF a framework Of heavy
iron panelled with sheet steel. feet long. q
fee. 6 inches high and : inches thick, con-
structed in two parts which are hinged together
near the centre When in position for use there
are sheet steel wings connected TO each end OF
the machine. which project three feet from ana
across the front to form a booth or room IN
front OF the machine. In the centre or the
booth is a turnstile which consists OF three
wings. two Of which are closed in. the other
being used for entering the booth and Tor exit.
The mechanism consists OF "A system Of levers,
interlocking rods and counters. Projecting
levers pressed down by the voter. Thesa
record his vote, and they "emain down ana VIII
rot be released until tho voter passes out Of the
booth by way Of the turnstile.
one Of the objections to many OF the ma
chimes is that no provision is made for voting
for persons not on the regular ticket. The Davis
people say Of their machine: "Provision Is made
for the elector vote for whomsoever he pleases.
Below the rows of keys representing regular
nominees of parties is 4 row OF receptacles which
are called irreguars Each machine is pro-
vjded with several hundred small brass boxes of
a suitable size to receive ticket or paster with
the name OF the candidate to be voted for and
the office ne represents"
sidney Ossosk. City Clerk Of Hornelsville
SAYS:
After having given the voting machines fair
trial our voters eninently satisfied with
fhem and indeed, after the experience Of the
recent election il would be almost necessary 10
drive them back TO the old system Of voting by
ballot II II were decided TO resume the former
methods and discard the machines. The trial
of the machines at the election last week has
demonstrated four things that determine the
&c ~ tbarn at future elections namely the