Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-06-07
Especial Correspondence.)

the secretary of the commonwealth to
advertise the proposed amendments to
the constitution is regarded as great
victory for the contractors who are
seeking to introduce the voting ma
chimes into Pennsylvania.
Governor Stone vetoed the action of
the last legislature in this matter upon
the ground of public economy and that
there was no popular demand for the
proposed innovation of voting ma
chimes in this state. The matter was
taken to the supreme court at the in
stance Of the promoters of the voting
machines, and several members of re-
form associations joined in this issue,
and as we'll as that of the proposed
amendment to the constitution which
would abolish the provision requiring
uniform legislation upon the ballot
issue throughout the state. Under
cover of the agitation over the cleo
ton frauds in Philadelphia and Allie
gheny, the lawyers for the voting ma
chine interests pushed their cases, and
have at last succeeded in getting a de-
cision which nullifes the action Of
Governor Stone, who sought to block
the voting machine game with his veto.
LEAVE IT TO THE PEOPLE.
The leaders Of the Republican organ
ization of the state have not taken any
positive stand upon this issue Of hav-
ing the proposed amendments go to a
vote of the people. Before the suggest
ed amendments can come up to be
voted upon at the general election they
must be again voted upon by the state
legislature. Meanwhile the secretary
of the commonwealth must advertise
the proposed amendments in every
county of the state at cost of proba-
bly, $4,000. The nominees of the Re-
publican party for the legislature will
use their own judgment as to what at
titude to assume on the issue of the
voting machines and the matter of
wiping out the constitutional provi-
sion requiring uniformity of legislation
affecting the method of voting. They
must learn the sentiment of their con-
stituents. In this latter contention an
effort Is being made to require personal
registration of voters in certain Sec
tions of the commonwealth. The great
issue, however, will be upon the pro-
posed introduction of the voting ma
chimes. Samples of these machines
were shown here during the last ses-
sion of the legislature, when the pro-
moters of the scheme had strong lob
by on ''the HILL" working in their in
terest among the members of both
houses. 1t was then estimated that
the cost OF each machine would be
about S235, and that as there are about
1000 voting precincts in Pennsylvania
the total cost for tho mere introduce
ton of the machines would be over a
million and half dollars. This would
not be counting the cost of repairs and
maintenance and storage between cleo
tons. The machines are very intri-
cate pieces Of mechanism and would
require first class machinists to keep
them in order. Should one of them
get out of order on election day the
whole scheme of election in that pre-
cinet would fail
NO MACHINE HONESTY.
Another argument against the use Of
that no machine can make men honest
who are otherwise disposed The ar
rangement of the machine for which
this fight is being made requires the
voter to touch buttons which record
the names of the candidates for whom
the citizen desires to vote. 1t is point
ed out that there would be nothing to
prevent dishonest men to permit i'm
personation of voters in this push the
button" scheme any more than there is
to allow men to impersonate others in
the casting of the ballots under the
present system. 1t is quite probable
that the people will carefully weigh
the arguments pro and con on this
matter of the introduction of the ma
chimes before they ultimately decide to
advocate the expenditure of a million
and half dollars upon an expert
mental proposition. Should these pro-
posed amendments be approved by the
next legislature they would then be
submitted TO popular vote at the
election to he held in November, 1901.
STALWARTS NOMINATED.
The nomination of Senator Jacob C.
Stineman to succeed himself was con-
summated last week when the adher-
ents OF his district met at the Ameri-
can House, Hollidaysburg, and unan-
imously placed him in the field as the
Republican nominee. There were three
ronferrees from each county in the dis
trict, George T. Swank and Harry w.
Slick, of Johnstown, and S. w. Davis,
of Ebensburg, representing Cambria
county, and ]. H. Craig, of Altoona,
and j. l., Hartman and j. Lee Plum
ber of HOllidaySburg we're the Blair
county conferrees. Resolutions were
adopted cordially commanding Senator
Stineman to the people for reelection.
He is stalwart Republican. whose re-
nomination was demanded by poular
vote, to the great discontinue of the
insurgents. Senator Stineman went
into the Republican caucus on the Uni
ted States senatorship at the last ses-
sion of the legislature and consistently