New-York tribune., 1896-11-15

candidate. The machine worked we'll in
Aarlan tN that the city Of Hudson has purchased
use them at all elections.
The Myers ballot machine PUT TO a
severe test at the last general election, when
II was used In every polling place in the city OF
Rochester. This machine Is Of the registering
pattern. and consists Of booth and a ballot
board on which the names OF the candidates
appear. and a series Of knobs, or buttons. by
depressing which the voter indicates his choice.
The experiment in Rochester the first test
by large city. and. although many mishaps
were reported. some serious and others ludi-
cfous. the summary shows that the majority
OF the voters were pleased and that only
a few had any difficulty in registering III ,ir
choice. There were several instances where
voters were confined in the booths longer than
they desired because the exit locks failed 10
work and some unusually laig ge men had 10
tighten their belts TO get through the narrow
doors. The men who were six feet tall and
over had 10 stoop to prevent contact with the
roof OF the booth. but no ono seemed TO take
the slight inconvenience seriously. and none
or the people who We're thus annoyed objected
10 the machine as much rs those voters who
felt some doubt as to their votes being recorded
and counted prorerly There was good ground
for some apprehension on that score. was
shown in the First District o: the Twentieth
Ward where il was discovered that after forty
SIX voters had entered the machine only six
ballots haG hcon recorded. and that many voters
were disfranchiseG because the machines did not
work properly Whether the machine was
crippled ry an ignorant voter or by some one
doing mischief. 30 one knows but the mishap
caused much worry. and IT took four hours 10
repair one NJ the injured machines.
As 70 the secrecy f the ballot when the
Myers machines are used there conflicting
opinions. 1t is alleged 10y the makers of the
machine that no man on the outside can tell
how the man I'm the booth votes ON the other
hand expert mechanics say that with a little
practice every vot. may be known by the sounds
which come from the voting apparatus.
The County Clerk of Monroe County without
n no IN "A 10
machines worked very satisfactorily
THE DECISION ADVERSE.
Despite this favorable report the Common
Council OF Rochester decided by vote of l3 To
6 that the Myers machines did not work salts
factoriiy and refused to pay for them. 1t was
granted that the machines had worked better
than similar machines had worked before bu:
the fact that they had not been perfect in their
operation seemed Just cause for refusal to pay
for them. 1t was demonstrated that in one dis
trlct where the machine had been used the votes
of about 200 electors had not been registered be-
cause of defective working Of the machine. This
no fault Of the men who voted. and 1t was
argued that II 200 men were disfranchsed al
this election in one district there was no guar
antce that twice or ten times many might not
be similarly treated at some future election. on
the whole. ii was believed that device 10y
which voter Is compelled to cast his ballot
should be so constructed hat he could not be dis
franchised. The men who voted against paying
the Myers bill were in favor Of machine voting.
but wanted a perfect machine before adopting
tho system
If plans now under consideration do not mis-
carry Rochester Will be the manufacturing centre
for ballot machines. \ movement is foot TO
consolidate a number Of companies. and by taxi
ing the best parts or The best machines 10 pro-
duce one which will bc nearly perfect as
possible and 10 make II at price so low as
10 induce all municipalities 10 adopt it for use
Thus far clockwurk has been chiefly employed
in the construction ~ ballot machines: but an
inventor who has given the matter much study
will soon exhibit ballot machin" In which cleo
tricity will play an important part