Evening journal., 1897-02-15

county or any Otnel information ftld-
tive to the election. but presume there |
are rs many as both Kent and Sussex, /
which would make forty-two. Machines
for all Of these places would cost 500
100 storage and polling rooms, $S,400l
more, or, altogether, S2S,460, quite a
large sum, truly. But a pure ballot IS /
above price
We will now compare the cost of
holding an election under the present
law and the same with the ballot ma
chine Kent county being the smallest,
we viii take that for an average. Ac-
cording 10 the best information ] can
get. the entire cost for the county with
the ballot law was $1,042 This i'm
cudes the cost of polling room, Judges,
clerks and voters assistants. | have
written to the clerks of the peace Of
Kent and New Castle and to a lawyer
friend in Georgetown, stating what |
wished to know but was misunderstood
by the Kent county clerk. After watt
ing a week / heard from my lawyer
friend from whom | gather the follow
ing: Two clerks, $4 each, $S two
judges. IS each, S12; total, $40. Two
voters assistants, s4; polling place, 81;
booths, Sc; total, SIT; inspectors, S25,
or a total cost of S62.
| am informed that there were in Kent
county sixteen polling places. Presum-
ing this to be correct, the cost for the
county would be, adding the tickets at
$50, 81 ,0i2 The cost Of holding an cleo
ton en- the ballot machines would be
for one clerk at each polling place, $2,
or SIG; one inspector at $25, or $500,
making the whole amount $2l6. This
deducted from the cost of the last cleo
tlon makes a difference in favor Of the
| ballot machine Of 1896 for the county.
! | will now sum up the entire cost in
connection with the machines. Eight
ballot machines being ample for the
whole county at $3.50 each, SO, $40
Eight polling rooms which can be
| built on wheels large enough to store
the machines and accommodate the Of
ficer and covered with metal roof, for
5000 cash, $1,000 making altogether
$5,440 The government can borrow at
4 per cent Interest on that amount
would be SILT This amount, deducted
from the balance in favor OF the ma
/ chimes. which was $S2e, would leave
5000 to go into a sinking fund to re-
deem a bond every two years, which
would pay for the machines in a few
years.
Merely presuming that you may
adopt the machine, allow me TO make
some suggestion in connection with
their use, which will put stop to re-
peating. ballot-box stuffing, fraudulent
voting and falsifying of returns. /
would respectfully suggest that the reg
lister record in a book, to be preserved,
all property holders who have a home
in the rural districts who have property
assessed to them amounting to $500
and over, including poll-tax, and that
he be provided with certificates printed
on colored paper to distinguish them
from the white certificate to be named
further on. These certificates might be
! something like the following:
This may certify that John Doe has
a home in Dover hundred and is as
sessed to property in that hundred Cor
, wherever he may be registered and is
, a qualified voter for that hundred. This
J being signed by the register on the
face, and all of the clerks and assist
! ants on the back should entitle him 70
l vote in that hundred without again reg
/ lstering"
E The poll tax voters. who have no fixed
e home, must Of necessity register before
: every election. They should also bC
Z provided with certificates, which may
z Itdu SlAhbAulHE like Nilt lblloWliE.
e This may certify that John Smith
4 having proved his residence and paid
e his tax, Is q qualified voter for this hun.
S dred tnaming the hundred in the Ger.
!, tificate)"
b These certificates, being signed by The
o register on the face and his clerks anC
/, assistants on the back, would make II
e almost impossible TO counterfeit them
Z and would, Of course, put stop to re-
d peating, as none would be allowed t
v vote except those possessing certiti
e Gates.
n This would put an end to all quar-
II reling about the right Of voter. If h'
S has his certificate, that proves his
e right If not. he Is not qualified, anC
e has no right in the polling room. Witt
S this arrangement there is no need o
e judges or any other paid officer excep
e the inspector and one clerk, to recorC
the names Of the voters as they pas;
e in. There should be admitted a mem
z her of each county committee. or thei
v deputy, to see that the machine com
l. mences to record at No. /, and to SCI
e the igures and each keep a record o
!: them as announced by the inspecto
e, after the polls have closed. This beini
n done, It seems impossible to falsify th
lie returns. The inspector will take in tn
: poll tax certificates and place them il
a hallot-box The property holder vii
place his certificate in his pocket-book
to be used at the next election. Som
may think that from my earnest advo
cacy Of these machines that am pai
attorney. but | am not have never re
!. ceiyed a dollar or the promise of one
4 presame that had | been a member o
q the mar, | might have been if | wishe
q to do So ] am, however. neither
> member Of the bar nor paid attorney
q but am actuated by the same motive
4 that havo governed me for the last hal
% q century--a desire for the purity O
q the ballot
r i would like to have said, somethin
on the question named at the beginnin
OF the paper. the legal rate of interes
) and the equalization of taxes, but thi
\ is so much longer than | intended tina
Will have TO conclude here solicitin
your careful consideration of the view
and suggestions contained herein.
Respectfully. T. B. COURSEY.