The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-05-19

The matter OF closing the polls at cleo
tions i'm the cities OF tho state of Rhode
Island is again up for little preliminary
discussion and as usual some people are
displaying an imposing ignorance about IL.
Perhaps the voters in the cities don't
want the polls closed earlier than the hour
now fixed o'clock. III they don {, that
ought to settle the whole question without
any debate. We do not propose To reflect
| opinion ON this matter at this time TO-
cause it is hardly ripe yet but it seoms 70
us rather desirable To correct little mis-
apprehension about the matter, principally
the sentiment that IS ignorantly expressed
that to close tho polls at an hour that
makes it possible TO know tho result
before sunrise the next morning is not "A
revolutionary soheme or even an uncom-
mon one.
Public attention was first asked for an
earlier closing of the polls in this State
in 1892 i'm tho annual message Of Governor
Ladd to the Assembly at its January
session. And in an appendix 20 that mes
sage we lind some highly interesting
facts rs 20 the practice quito general in
other States the governments of which are
usltaIIv copofdcrod .c,,,o,,,L,. ,,,s...o -. A..
date in important respects than that en-
joyed here In Rhode Island. IL appears from
the statistics here given that of twenty
eight states that have general rule gov
orning the opening and closing OF polls, in
fourteen States, including all New Eng
land outside Rhode Island, Now York.
California, Michigan, Ohio, South Carolina.
Tennessee and Virginia, the polls are closed
at 3 O'Clock or earlier and in six States
the polls are closed at g. Every Now
England city closes its polls at 5 O'Clock !
or earlier, Fall River and Taunton, two |
great mlll towns closing at 3 and New |
Bedford, another mill town, rs early rs |
> o'clock. People and politicians in these |,
cities of every partisan faith agree that
the early closing works 10 harm TO the
voter and AS the laboring man predomi-
mates those opinions make IL evident that
no is not shut out, as 1T Is feared that he
would be II the polls were closed before
in these parts or fifty cities all over
tho country, including New England. il
appears that o'clock, the hour proposed
In Rhode Island, Is not at all radically
early hour. Twcnty-three of these cities.
nearly one-half the total number. and
including New York, until recently
strongly Democratic, Boston, Buffalo, Chi
cago and Cincinnati, close at o'clock or
earlier Twelve close az 5 or earlier; nine
at Is and only six at o'clock. The dis
position evident In this is 20 have the
polls close before dark. And we very
much doubt If any part of the electorate
in all these States and cities would take
kindly 70 pro10nRrng tho voting hours.
IL is certain, however, that no change
to an earlier closing of the polls in our
cities should be made without two pro
that more polling places be
provided and the other that employers of
labor should be compelled by law either
to close their shops at an hour TO permit
their employees TO get TO the polls, extend
the noon hour on open later i'm the
There Is no doubt that with
no provisions of this nature a great many
working people would be- shut out from
5he right and privilege OF voting IL the
polls were closed before in our Rhode
Island cities.