The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-10-11

the cover or the tray into the appro-
PIRATE tubes. He turns crank until
all of the balls fall into trough in
full view of the voter.
While passing through the ballot box
each ball registers one vote, a count
of which is kept by an indicator in
side. Thus the balls are sure to drop
into the compartments of the candi-
dates for which they We're originally
intended, and 1t Is impossible to cast
more than one vote for the same man,
since only one ball will fit into each
hole in the tray. 1t Is likewise i'm
possible to cast more votes than there
are candidates provided, since the
number of balls used agrees with the
exact number of candidates. The in
spector, or any observer, has no pos
sible means of detecting the nature
Of the vote without opening the ballot
box. Having been dropped into the
trough and counted by the voter that
he may be satisfied that all of his
votes have taken effect, the balls are
again placed into the faStenings inside
the tray and the latter handed to the
next voter At the end of the election
the ballot box is opened in the pres
ence of the authorities and the state
ment of the numbers of votes is taken
from the automatic counters, some
what similar contrivance for voting
by means of discs to be dropped in
slots is the invention of another Cali
fornia man.
A New England inventor named Nc
Tammany has received more than
dozen patents for automatic voting
machines. The best known of these
has been adopted by Massachusetts, to
be used, at local option, In local town
elections. 1t is a small square box OF
steel mounted upon a high PEDESTAL
1t may be placed in a booth, but even
though placed in full view 1t would be
difficult to detect the nature Of a vote
cast thereby. The officers for which the
candidates have been nominated are
arranged in a vertical column upon the
face. Opposite Is a column of slots,
each piot corresponding with an office
in the other column. Beneath each
slot can be moved a long ribbon Of
cardboard, bearing the names Of the
candidates for the appropriated offices,
only one set of names being visible at a
time. By turning a hand-wheel at the
left the voter may bring his choice of
names into view and opposite the APP
propriaJte offices. AS each chosen can
didate is brought into position the
voter presses a small button opposite
his name and this process punches a
hole in the card. By an interlocking
system each button becomes secure
once, and SO remains until the attend
ant operates a lever, making ready
for the next voter. After the ballot
ing has ended the vote of each candi-
date is ascertained by taking out each
of the pasteboard ribbons in turn and
by grinding them through q contriv-
ance which closely resembles a paper
roll music box. Each hole in a ribbon
automatically scores upon an indicator.
ho c n a inn d RI ho io1 1yy
valuable for states in which a man
must be able to read before being elig-
ible to a vote, as Is the case in Massa
chusetts.
The Myers voting machine, which
was accepted by the late New York
constitutional convention as legal for
use in such city or town elections,
New York city and Brooklyn excepted,
as may adopt it, is as complete as any
Of those described. A small Compart-
ment conceals the voter, who upon
entering, finds upon the walls the
names of candidates arranged in verti-
cal columns, according to parties. The
votes are cast by pushing IN the ap-
proprfate knobs, each vote being regis
tered upon duplicate board on the
opposite side of the partition wall. The
pushing Of each knob locks it against
repetition and locks the knobs of all
candidates for the same office. The
whole system is automatically set free
by combination Of levers, put in mo-
ton when the voter opens the door to
make his exit.
The yotograph, now legally. disable
in Michigan, is g. box with horizontal
face, upon which the names of candi-
dates appear as labels upon a series
of punch-buttons. Beneath are ribbons
containing separate tally votes for
o1a r11@
printed upon them in g. vertical row.
Pushing button puts a punch in po-
sitiOn for each name so selected and
the closing of the lid puts a hole
through the proper number, moving
each roll up one space at the same
time. The final results are read by
noting the last number punched upon
each ribbon. Repeating and irregular
lty are prevented by complete inter-
locking system. Michigan permits
either the votograph or the Myers ma
chine for town or city elections. Last
year Connecticut legalzed the use Of
either the Myers or McFammany sys-
tenn for local elections
In most Of the machines It Is ar
ranged that a straight ticket may be
cast by pushing a single button as well
as by making each vote separately as
described. The latter method admits
of the voting of a "split ticket" by any
of the machines. The interior mechan-
ism CT the greater number of the
machines is similar to that of the cash
register, although some inventors have
employed electricity.
An interesting line of inventions
akin to these, is for effecting accuracy
Of vote in legislative bodies. Upon the
desk Of each member Is q couple Of
push buttons. one labeled yes" and
the other no" When a vote Is called
for upon any question, each member
signifies his position simply by push
Ing button. An arrangement In the
front Of the hall, resembling the ter
minus Of the bell-boy call system in a
hotel lobby, acts as a bulletin board
and shows the names of each member
voting, as well as the vote in an adj
joining column. An automatic device
adds the votes and gives the total
result. If desired, the system may be
arranged SO that the names of mem
bers need not be shown, and thus q
silent vote may be taken without re-
sort to a written ballot.