The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1900-04-05
WHOEVER EXAMINES THE SIN
HONS ELECTION LAW WILL
fINDIN 1T THE SUM.TO-
tai OF POLITICAL
YILLAlNIES.
NO. 2.

NO. ?.
THE COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS:
Editor CAUcAsIAS.l
Above my own signature, there
appeared in your last issue a par
tlal outline OF the Simmons Elec-
ton Law, In which was sketched as
briefly as possible, its general
framework, together with a few of
its exterior beauties. And having
conducted the reader across the
threshold Of this political Slaugh-
ter House, | now invite him to en-.
ter with me and take an inside
view Of the establishment. Occu-
plying the anteroom of this Butch
er's SHAMELESS, and exercising SUI
pervision and control over all OF it's
departments, will be found three
| very important personages, whose
functions are in part as follows:
| Sec. 10. That it shall be the duty OF
| the county board of elections to meet
in their respective counties not later
than the first Monday in May, in the
year OF our Lord one thousand nine
hundred, and bennially thereafter,
and after organizing by electing one
| of their number chairman and another
secretary, TO divide their respective
counties into election pr ecincts and fix
the places Of polling in the severa!
election precincts. They may adopt
the present division of their county
into election precincts, or they may es-
tablish entirely Lew precincts, or they
may alter the present precincts. but
the election precincts and precinct
polling places as now fixed in each
county shall remain as they now are
until altered. And in case of any al
teration of the election precincts or
polling places therein, they shall give
twenty days notice thereof in some
public journal, or in lieu thereof in
three public places in such county and
at the courthouse door. And the said
county BOARD of elections shall have
power from time to time after dividing
their county into election precincts, tt
esta blish, alter, discontinue or Greats
such new precincts of election in then
respective counties as they may deem
expedlent, giving twenty DAYS notice
thereof, by advertising in some public
journal. or in lieu thereof, in tbre,
places in such county and at the cour
house door. If any polling place il
changed in any precinct, like adver
tisement of such change shall be givel
| And there shall be at least one pOIlini
place in every tow nship, as nearly cen
trail as possible.
. The reader will see at a glanc,
the contemplate subterfuges con.
tanned in this section, and leaviu,
him to consider the obvious uses t,
. which they can be applied, ough
i to observe
y That each and all of the thre
: members of this County Board 0
Elections, may be taken from on
and the same political party-ther
is nothing in this Law that forbid
it. That when selected for this re
sponsible office no inquisition i
: had as to their fitness and honest,
8 there is nothing in this Law tina
n compels it. That while in the dis
n charge Of it's duties no pledge Q
impartiality is imposed upon then
,, there is nothing in this Law tina
:. enjoins it. That they are place
under no off ial oath - there j
/. is nothing in this Law tina
d prescribes it. That they are SUI
: jected to no penalty for any abus
; of their power-there is nothing
this Law that exacts it. And tina
g no qualification, of any kind, is re
n qulred OF these men except, only
;. that they must be "discreet pei
{ sons" which is no moro than to sa
r that they must be careful, and cat
e tious, and secret, and circumspect
all of which amounts to no NOR
e than the wisdom of the serpen
- and is entirely consistent with tn
u most hardened depravity. Th
word discreet" is a comprehensive
e one and, in the practical affairs c
n life, is found covering knaves a
d the rule, and honest men as the 81
e ception. For discretion imports n
E. moral attribute whatever. Th
~ greatest of braggarts has defined
+ as the ''better part Of valor." 1t
!. in fact the convenient mask an
e indispensable shield of the coward
"a the hypocrite, the conspirator, an
J. ballOt-boX-thief.
n Such then is the constitution
% this County Board OF Elections, q
e whose touch the whole election ma
= chinery is made to move. This
; begins to do by dividing each cou1
% ty into precincts and polling place
e And this part of the work must /
s done, Oh or before the first Monda
q in May OF each year, in which a gel
= eral election is to be held. Rut a
T. though the division must be mad
q at that time, all Information in r,
n spect 10 it may be withheld froi
It the public, until twenty days befol
% the election. Orshould such info
)? nation be sooner vouchsafed it ma
!e be altogether misleading. For afte
le the precincts and polling-place
- have once been located and al
~ nounced, the power is reserved t
:. this County Board to alter, {
it annul and create them anew, an
b all this may be done even ate
n registration has begun and ha
d proceeded for eleven of the twent
II days, during which it is to con
~ tinue. At no time is the votin
~ public to be taken into it's conf
y dence. For it is the merest iron
b to be told that notice of such altel
: alton "shall be given in some pull
, lie journal" since the journal s,
lected for the purpose, may not b
IL published in that county, or i
this State, and may, in strict con
,. pliance with this law, be either th
T New York Herald or the Murph
# Bulletin.
j. Why therefore, in the name {
J common decency, was informatio
; in respect to matter so simple a
- this, to be yelled in uncertaint
:. until the very last moment? An