New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-20


IS DONE IN OTHER PLACES.
-ha BOARD Of Election Commissioners o. Bos-
ION Mass composed OF Linus f.. pearson. chall-
man: James ]. Costello George b. Billings ana
Lewis c. Farmer late yesterday afternoon WIS.,
tod the offices of the Brooklyn Board Of Elections
They were received by Samuel II. Andrews. chief
clerk In the absence OF the Commissioners.
The Boston Commissioners called upon the cleo
ton officials of New-York City In the morning
and to-day they will visit the election oihciais Oh
Philadelphia Their trip is made for the purpose
of investigating the methods OF registration anu
voting in New-York City. Brooklyn and Phiia-
dephia, In view of certain changes IN the eIs''lo"
laws applying to Boston
Before those changes took place it was the
nractice in the Hub 10 base registration on a con-
tinuous list. There are twenty-five wards IN 'he
city. divided into 19l voting precincts. with per-
hans 500 or 600 voters in each precinct About
so per cent of the voters take part in an election
The reeds.r alton is about 81, 600 From the TIME
BOSTON became city. and until the recent
chm nres in the registration law, ii was the custom
TO carry names on the registration list from ele0-
ton to election. and year TO year; that Is 10 say
only about 5000 or 10000 names Were chahseo
Boston has a large number or supstan'ai ci'-
Gems who are not afflicted with that spring teNer
called '.Mav moving" and who continue 10 I'VE
ord move and have their being near where they
were born Consequently there is large mum
her OF voters who don't change their places "a
abode. and who used 10 form the basis LOT the
names continued on the perennial list. The l5ooo
ar % 600 names which were added each year were
those belonging TO men who We're not thorough
bred Rosionians who used TO move now ana
then. and whose qualifications were investigated
,iU
sobe,,a there was no necessity OF the compete
,asistration and re-regstration which other cities
oonsidered necessary at short ana regular ih'ei-
walls 49,.
Rut recently the Boston people awoKe 10 the
fact that they were behind the times on 'his
particular point. So they rubbed theii eyes anu
had passed a law which provided mat lie"
general registration shall take place TINS year
and in every tenth year hereafter mat IL '"e
IT,, rbicb hothers the Election Commissioners
-. poston ond causes a desire for Information
and a comparison of methods in other ci'es'
The work before them is one OF cohslueiaoie
MAGNITUDE. involving the personal registration
Of from $4,000 to $4,000 people 1t entails large
expenditures of money. and the commissioners
10 not think it should be conducted on re-
strcted basis. They believe that the REQUIRE
,,,on,s If the law and the reasonable demands
of the voting population Will make sohie'Nine
annroachng precinct registration almost indis-
pensable.
The BOSTON Commissioners yesterday exam
ined the new blanket ballot and had details OF
registration in Brooklyn explained to them by
Mr.. Andrews. They glanced doubtfully AT the
mink sample ballot shown to them ana COM
narad II with the smaller Massachusetts ballot,
evidently TO the qualification of their pride Inc
ballot used at the last municipal election in
Roston hears two columns Of names of candi-
dates prnted closely together and there Is no
opnortunity In 1t for voting a straight ticket
simply by putting cross mark in circle near
an eagle or a star, or any other emblem. Each
candidates name must be marked with cross
at the right and not at the left OF the haihe'
If the voter wishes to choose that candidate
The appearance Of the ballot gives one the
idea that the names have been crowded upon
II. and it is evident that voter would have to
be extremely careful In reading each name and
the office for which the candidate was nomi-
mated. People who can't read don't vote In
Massachusetts, and II was evident yesterday
afternoon that the Bostonians thought that the
New-York ballot placed a premium on ignor-
ance, while theirs placed premium on intelli-
gence In voting for Presidential electors. how
ever, an exception is made to the general rule
of marking individual names. This is because
Presidential electors are generally voted for In
straight" manner.
INTELLIGENCE IS NECESSARY.
Chairman Pearson. Of the Boston Board. yester
Gay afternoon talked TO Tribune reporter about
registration and election methods of New-York
and Massa chusetts. saying:
"Our theory Of registration and voting is based
upon the idea that a voter should be intelligent.
The voter must be able to read and understand
the State Constitution, and he has to draw slips
containing extracts from IL and show that he can
understand these extracts. / don't think that
our people in Boston would be satisfied with the
personal description Of voters which OBTAINS IN
New-York. although probably the description or
marks apparent 10 the registration officer might
we'll be noted. think our people would dislike
10 be compelled to answer questions as to whether
they had marks upon their bodies concealed by
their clothing. A measure is now pending IN the
Legislature Of Massachusetts providing that reg
istration shall include general personal descrip-
ton, but that law may never be passed. we
have been favorably impressed with the thof-
Oughness with which registration and eiecuohs
have been conducted In Newly orK but Oh me
point Of which spoke think that only gen
eral description of a voter by the registration
could be required satisfactorily Inc mass OF oui
people don't take TO the idea OF physical uesciip
ton They lay more stress on the question Oh
absolute intelligence and the requirements as 10
intelligence undoubtedly keep our total OF regis
tration down to what you probably would say -
a small one. II the latitude as to intelligence
which prevails here obtained In Boston. our reg
istration would probably be largely increased
possibly doubled Under ballot system IL IS
impossible FOR man who cant read 10 vote ne
cannot simply obey instructions Of a boss ana go
in and put cross mark where he sees his party
emblem.
WOMEN AT THE POLLS.
Mr.. Pearson was asked to say how many women
voted In Boston He replied that about l2oOo
women voted on the school question. and they
don't give much trouble either In speaking OF
election frauds. Mr.. Pearson said that in Boston
there have been no extensive frauds as COM
pared with frauds in Jersey City and New-York