The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-02-21
NEARLY LIKE OLD LAW
WILSON NATTER COMES UP IN
CAUCUS TONIGHT.
OHIO is JUST ITCHING TO RESIGN
Supplies The Date on that Resignation and Says
if that 0on'I Suit lust Name The Med.
i;ine. Resignation Read
in CaLcJs.


The Democratic caucus last night
agreed ON the election law which is to
pass at this session, and another big
chunk of the years work was thereby
gotten rid of.
The provisions of the law, which
covers about 80 ordinary book pages,
are substantially those agreed upon by
the Subcommittee and printed in this
paper month or more ago. The most
important change was the striking out
OF the provision requiring the elector TO
show his poll tax receipt before he could
vote.
As stated before, the law is based
throughout on the old Democratic cleo
ton law, the main difference being that
part of the bill which provides the cleo
ton machinery.
The first section of the bill provides
for the election of all State officers on
the first Thursday of August in the
year 1900.
Sections = and provide for the cleo
! ton of all officers, including commits
sioners in those counties where they are
elected by the people
The fourth section is the widest de-
parture from the old law. 1t provides
for the election by this General Assem-,
bly, of State Board of Elections to be
composed of five members.
Section five provides for a county
board of elections of three members to
be appointed by the State board.
Section six provides that the State
board shall meet in Raleigh or elsewhere
and shall be paid 81 per diem and ex-
penses while meeting
Section seven provides that the county
board shall appoint the Judges and reg
| istrars of election.
Sections eight and nine give the State
board of elections power to remove the
county board and the county board pow
er to remove election officers.
Section ten empowers the county board
to fix the voting places, either those now
fixed or others. TO call upon the secre
tary of State for blanks or to furnish
them if he fails to do so.
Section eleven. over which there was
considerable difference of opinion. pro-
yides that there shall be an entirely new
registration before the next general cleo
ton. The method of identifying the
voter is in part taken from the old
| Democratic law and in part from the
Tennessee law. Under it every voter
must so locate himself and must furnish
such information concerning himself as
will enable the election officers to GER
tainly determine whether or not he is
the person he represents himself to be.
From this section the poll tax receipt
, feature was stricken out, but the cleo
ton officers may ask the voter if he
haxs hi al fnf
Identification.
Section twelve requires that separ-
ate registration of Indians be made.
Sections thirteen to seventeen, inclu-
sive. are the old Democratic law.
The law as to challenge is such that
the burden of proof is thrown upon the
challenged voter to show that he is duly
qualified.
The ballots will be separate and with
ont device Those for State officers will
be of uniform size on plain white paper,
for any and all parties. Similarly the
ballots for county, Congressional and
other candidates.
The law provides that instead OF the
sheriffs OF counties in the Senatorial
districts acting as members of the can
vassing boards the chairmen of county
The State board of canvassers is COM
posed of the State Board of Elections
and of the Governor and Secretary of
State.
All the provisions as TO counting, for
warding and other details are the same
as the former Democratic law.
In the caucus last night Senator Travis
moved TO substitute the Walton law of
Virginia providing for the use of the
blanket ballot, but the motion was lost.
Tonight the report of the committee
appointed to investigate the charges on
which the Wilson's were dismissed from
| the Railroad Commission will be con-
! sidered in caucus. 1t is not so much
/. the purpose to bind the Democratic mem
! bers to support or reject the report as
| to get at the sense of the majority with
reference to it. There are some members
| also who prefer to speak out in caucus
rather than in the Legislature, and less
| circumspection is required.
| So far as Ohio is concerned, he has
| never had hearing before the commit
| tee the witnesses in his case were not
| examined except in so far as the testi-
mony incidentally concerned both the
| Wilson's. Subpoenas were issued for
w. p. Exum and the telegraph operator
| at Round Knob but they have not an
swered. Nevertheless Ohio appears to
| be anxious to turn loose.
Soon after the Assembly met he wrote
| out his resignation and handed it to
| Judge Conner, but omitted to put on the
| date. Yesterday he added the date.
Ohio is also understood to have init
| mated once or twice to Democratic mem
| bers that if his resignation as written
out is not satisfactory, he will be pleased
| TO make any changes suggested, to
| lengthen, abbreviate or adorn the tale
as desired.
Judge Conner read Othos resignation
in caucus last night, but no action was
taken upon it.
All men are born ignorant and lots