The record-union., 1898-08-06

spondents on topics or interest 10 the
general public The matter In these COM
munications will be understood to repre-,
sent only the views of the writer's All
communications must be accompanied py
the name of the writer, not for pupica-
ton unless so desired, but as q guarantee
Of good faith.-Eds
The County Clerk and Registration
Eds. Record Union'': County Clerk
Hamilton refuses, for number or rea-
sons stated by him, and which are re-
ferred to herein, to allow the Repub-
lican County Central Committee to
name a number of responsible and re-
putable citizens, of whom one or all
should act as additional registration
clerks, to secure a full and complete
registration of those citizens OF Sacra-
mento County entitled to vote at the
next general election.
The Chairman of the Republican
County Central Committee is absent
from the city, and he will not return for
several days; and as / believe the ac-
tion of County Clerk Hamilton was ar
bitrary and not calculated to subserve
the interests Of large number of vot-
ers, I take the liberty OF expressing my
views upon the subject.
First, Mr.. Hamilton comedies that
the Republican County Central Com
mittee would submit the names of reli-
able men to act as registration clerks,
to be approved by him; that their COM
pensation should not be paid by him or
by the County of Sacramento, and that
the same privilege should be extended
to all political parties as to the Repub-
lican party.
|
but the door is thrown wide open to the
adherents of all parties to do their ut
| most to secure a full vote.
To the request Of the Republican
County Central Committee Mr.. Ham
iltOn gives an emphatic refusal,
and 1 summarize the grounds Of
his refusal as follows: First, that
the same privilege would have to
be granted ''to every other political
committee that might desire it,
This objection has already been met,
and it is not necessary at this time fur
ther to consider it other than to sug-
| gest that the Republican Committee
does not ask any favors that should not
| be granted to the regularly constituted
authorities of any other political party.
Second, that the men recommended
by the Republican Committee would not
use the same care and discretion that
Mr.. Hamilton's own deputies would use.
To this objection there is a full and
complete answer. Mr.. Hamilton's own
office deputies PROFOUND certain ques-
tiCnS. upon the oath of the applicant,
| which are stated upon printed forms.
| If the applicant answers them so as to
entitle him to be registered, he is regis
tered, and that is an end tot the matter.
| 1T is very seldom that such an appli-
cant is refused registration.
The same questions must be put by
a sworn officer to a person under oath,
| in any event. 1t appears to me that
this objection is trivial
Third, Mr.. Hamilton claims that he
is personally responsible for every per-
son who is registered Such a claim
| is without any foundation whatever
He admits that he believes the Repub-
| lican Committee would name honest,
| competent men. If so, they are as re-
| liable as the many extra registration
clerks whom he has appointed outside
| of Sacramento City. 1t is a grievous
stretch of the imagination to assert
that he is responsible for all the names
| which his deputies may register, not
| only in the country, but in the City of
| Sacramento.
| Fourth, it appears to me that the
principal objection urged is that, by
personal solicitation, with the means of
| registration at hand, many names of
| citizens would be added to the register
who otherwise would pass the oppor-
tunity by and thus lose their votes.
| TO this i reply that from the day Of
the nominating conventions until the
polls close on election day every candi-
date, every active friend of a candi-
| date, every stump speaker and every
newspaper in the State will solicit and
urge every qualified voter to use his
| franchise. Some Of the best of men
require urging to do their duty. and
the same principle holds good in regis
! tration.
| / am somewhat familiar with the Gus
tom pursued under like circumstances
in other counties Of the State and ]
have before me the Daily Argus" OF
| Alameda, of date August /. 1898, an
| nouncing the names Of large number
of deputies in the city of Alameda, Re
publicans, Democrats, Populists, busi-
ness men Of the city, who feel them
selves honored to register without
cost all who may apply. In addition
every Notary Public in the city is au-
thorized to take registrations.
think Mr.. Hamilton is not taking a
| broad minded view Of his duty, and
hope he will change his course.
ELWOOD BRUNER.
sacramento, August D, 1898