The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-10-03

OAhGS hA9 S0O
servedly in the rank Of MAchiavelli.
The origin of our law is seen Oy a
glance al the following parallel.
GoEBEL ELECTION SIMMONS ELECTION
LAW Law
Sac /. Che Gen Sec 4. That there
eralAsse mbly shall shall be a State
at it's present see Board of EieC ions
sion elect three consisting Of seven
co COMMISSIONS s Discreet persons
who shall be styled Who shall be else
"Fhe State Board tors. elected by the
OF Election Com General Assembly
missioner" at its present ses
Sec 2 Said State sion
Board of Election Sec s.. That there
Com oneFs shall Oe IN every
shall annually, not county in the State
later than the q county board Of
month OF Septem elections to consist
Der, appoint three OF three Discreet
election commits persons who are
sioners for each electors 10 the
county who shall county in which
be STYLED 'tThe thew are TO act,
County Board of who shall be ap
Election Commits pointed as herein
eioners" after provided by
Sec. 3. Said coun. rhe State B lard of
ty board shall an Elections.
nually. not later Sc. z That it
than the month OF shall be the duty
October, appoint OF the County
for each election Board Of Elections
precinct in the 10 each county to
county ~t~ojudges, appoint all regis
one clerk and one trsrs and judges of
sheriff of election election in their re
to act as such in spective counties
their precinct
WATTERsoN DESCRIBES THE GOEBEL LAW.
The Courier Journal, In an e0IrorIsl
written bV Henry WatTerson himself,
said of it:
The people may well stand aRhast
before the revolutionary eleOJIOn bdI
which has, like some dread monster,
suddenly emerged from he fsstness of
passion and error through which the
legislature has been threading it's tor
tuous way. It is safe to say that the
annals Of free government will be
sought in vain for ANYTHING approach
ing it in shameless tdronCery and un
concealed deformity. The records OF
reconstruction furnish no5hIng c. c m
pare with it. The Bro willow d sOOt-
ism at It's worst ventured upon nothing
so boldly, wholly bad as this
"In all the force bills meditated by
the radicals in Congress during the
dark days of reconstructIon there we're
discernIOle some pretense or preGext,
some lingering memory Of republican
instincts aud traditions. Even In the
PIebIscI5es of Louis Napoleon there vas
the outward display OF a just elt cIor4 Al
process and purpose. This force bill
gives the voters of Kensucky noe a
ray Of hope. It makes no claim or
show of fairness. It places exc'u4lvslS
In the hands Of three irrespOnsIOlr per
sons, to be named By the auth Jrs of
the measure itself, the entire electoral
machinery Of the State. Thai T. the
whole of it. In one word, and aV one
fell swoop, Kentucky is t become the
subject Of q trIumvirase which IL Co de
eide who shall hold Office and VINO
shall not"
d NEW LAW
Mr.. Simmons seems co have over
looked one great truth in ~toxlcology,
that q grain of poison will kill the nc
tim but an ounce of the same poison
will 80 shock the stomach that it will
be rejected DR.. Simmons has admin
istered an overdose. The act, chapter
5O7, laws of 1899, entitled an act to
regulate elections, is unconstitutional
and void because
1. It requires an educational quali6
cation
.. It virtually re requires the payment
OF a poll tax.
8. IL confers arbitrary powers upon
the registrars am judges of election.
4. Ii denies the fundamental rights
Of man.
Ever since the Halifax convention,
that is to say during a period OF one
hundred and twenty four years, every
election Law in force in North Carolina
has made it the duty OF the judges of
election to deposit the ballots in the
proper ballot boxes.
Now for the first time in the States
history this provision is significantly
omitted and the voter must deposit his
own ballot, and if he puts it in the
wrong box the ballot is void.
ANOTHER REQUIREMENT.
}. There are not less Ithan five boxes in
q general election, therefore in order to
exercise the right of suffrage the
voter must be able to read the labels
on the different boxes.
This requirement conflicts with Ar