Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1899-10-13

Many persons who ought to know
better are attributing things to th'
present election law of the state tina
are entirely foreign to it. The cleo
ton law is being as much slanderet
as the author of the chief amendment
to 1t Is 1t is only fair to the law that
the people be made acquainted with
the changes made by the amendment
and be shown whether or not any can
didate or set of candidates can be
counted in under it regardless OF
how the votes may have been cast
Under the old law the county judges
were given the power to appoint the
precinct election officers. 1t frequently
happened that the county Judge was
often a candidate for reelection. That
was the case in this county, in Fay
cite, in jefferson, in Jessamine, in
Bourbon and doubtless many other
counties Of the state in 1897. There was
something wrong with the system
that permitted a man, who was HIM
self q candidate to be voted for at an
election, to have the right to name all
of the officers who were to hold that
election. There we're other features
of the old law which were either OBJ
jectionable or fiagrantly violated in
1896 and 1897. The law said that so
long as there are two distinct political
parties in this commonwealth, the Of
ficers in all elections shall be divided
30 as to give one of the judges at each
precinct to one political party, the
other Judge to the opposing political
party, and a like difference made be-
tween the sheriff and the clerk. In
the presidential election In 1896, in
open violation of this provision Of the
law, the officers of the election In
more than 40 Of the PRECINCTS in the
city Of Louisville were divided between
the Mckinley electors and the Palmer
and Buckner electors, and the Bryan
electors given not a single officer. The
same thing was done in many of the
Republican counties Of the state. Such
abuse caused indignant Democrats to
demand some relief from the Demo
cratic legislature. which assembled in
January, 1898. Senator Goebel, in re-
spouse to the demand, prepared the
amendment which was adopted by that
legislature. The amendment takes
away from the county judges the pow
er to appoint the officers of the cleo.
tons, and creates a state board of cleo
ton commissioners, consisting of
three members, to be elected every
four years by the legislature, not ap-
pointed by the governor, as many seem
to think.
Features of the Bill.
The present state board consists of
Judge w. s. Pryor, who was for
quarter of a century an honored mem
Der Of the appellate court; Captain w.
T. Ellis, formerly congressman from
the Second district and Charles b.
Poyntz Of Maysville, a prominent bust
ness man. former state senator and
railroad commissioner. The honesty
and integrity of no one Of these three
men have ever been impugned. They
are all above reproach. The law gives
them the power to appoint each year
three election commissioners for each
county, who shall not be less than "a
years old, who, before acting, shall be
sworn to faithfully discharge their
duties. The county board thus ap-
pointed, instead OF the county Judge,
appoints the precinct election officers,
and by express provision of the law,
the two judges are to be divided be-
tween the two distinct political par
ties. and the sheriff and the clerk like
wise divided. In addition TO the two
Judge and the sheriff and the clerk
thus divided. the law provides that
each political party may appoint one
for each precinct who shall
have the right to stay in room where
he vote Is being taken. The appoint
ment of challengers is made by the
,hairmen OF the political parties. Also
zach political party is given the right
by law to designate a suitable person
70 be present at.witness and inspect
he counting OF the votes in each pre-
,inct. Notice that the election commits
'ioners have nothing to do with these
and inspectors and have
10 control over them. When the polls
ire closed and the votes are counted,
md when the result is ascertained, one
u the judges must, In front Of the vot-
ng room. announce the number Of
'otes received by each candidate. The
Inspector OF each political party has
he right TO demand a certificate. signed
~ each officer OF the election, SHOWING
he number OF votes received by each ;
and each Judge retains a
'opy Of that certificate. This eertin-