The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-09-21
AMERICA NAY TAKE HAND.
CAN APPOINT SUPERVISORS OVER
ELECTION.
Federal Statutes say Government Has
Right to Send Inspectors to Watch
Voting for Congressman.

There is possibility that the Federal
Government may take a hand in look
ing after the election for a Congressman
in November. No body has taken any
steps as yet regarding the matter but
the United States claims the right to
have inspectors present at the polls and
keep a supervision over the balloting.
All that is necessary to secure the pre-
sence of these supervisors is to make an
appeal as provided by the United States
statutes of 1873.
In some places on the Mainland the
will of the majority is the smallest con-
sideration in the minds of the ring lead
ers and when the bosses are DESTROYS of
electing any candidate they go in and
do 1t by foul means or fair While the
Government could not well assume the
direction of local and state elections it
claimed the right to watch elections for
Congressman so that the statute Civ
ing it this authority was enacted. In
addition to having supervisors at every
voting place the Government can be
further represented by deputy marshals
whose duty it shall be to protect the
supervisors and see that no one inter-
feres with them in the pursuit of their
duties
The statutes which bear directly upon
the appointment of such supervisors are
Secs. POLL end 2O12 in chapter 26. Re
vised Statutes, relating to elections.
Section Poll reads as follows:
Whenever, in any city or town haV-
ing upward of 10000 inhabitants, there
are two citizens thereof or wherever, in
any county or parish in any congress
sional district, there are ten citizens
thereof, of good standing, who prior to
any registration of voters for an cleo
ton for representative or delegate In
lnn (fr,y, ,Nf tIn T,sN
prior to any election at which a repre-
sentative or delegate in Congress is to
be voted for, may make known, in writ
ing, to the judge of the circuit court of
the United States for the district
wherein such city or town, county or
parish, is situated, their desire to have
such registration, or such election, or
both guarded and scrutinized, the Judge
within not less than ten days prior to
the registration, If there be one, or If
no registration be required within not
| less than ten days prior to the election,
shall open the circuit court at the most
convenient point in the circuit.
| Section 2012. The court, when so
opened by the judge, shall proceed to
| appoint and commission, from day to
| day and from time to time, and under
the hand of the judge, and under the
| seal of the court, for each election dis
| trict or voting precinct in such city OF
| town, or for such election district or
voting precinct i'm the congressional dis
| trict, as may have applied in the man
ner hereinbefore prescribed, and to re-
solve, change or renew such appoint
ment from time to time, two citizens,
| residents of the city or town, or of the
election district or voting precinct in
the county or parish who shall be of
different political parties, and able to
read and write the English language,
and who shall be known and designated
as supervisors of election"
The duties of these officers shall be tc
watch every ballot cast and guard
against and prevent any attempt to
| thWart the purpose of the voters. WheT
the supervisors think it is necessary
| the marshal also gives them deputies
When any discrepancy arises the report
OF these supervisors is taken in prefe-
renee to that of the civil inspectors
| Such supervisors are not however a
necessary feature of every Congress
sional election. In fact in the majority
of states they are not appointed The
| ACCESSIBILITY of appointing them is pure
ly question which is left to the Judge.
ment of the community where the cleo
| ton is to be held In some cases these
! government officials are utterly useless
and are named for the sole purpose OF
giving some political followers a chance
of making some easy money at the rate
of SIS or SO day for four or five days.
| II do not think that there will be any
occasion to appoint such supervisors
for the coming election" said U. s
| Marshal Ray. $50 far I have heard
there is no body trying to prevent the
people from voting as they wish and M
one who is going to try and interfere
with the election. We found 1t neces-
sary some times to have such superVi-
sors in Chicago but do not think there
will be the slightest reason for it here
1t is a question to my mind whether
such appointments can be made
by United States Judge Estee
| The statutes provide that the APP
pointments shall be made by the
| judge of the circuit court. Now
Judge Estee is a district judge while we
are in the Ninth Circuit of California
and am uncertain whether he as a dis
trict Judge has the right to make APP.
| pointments which the statute SAYS are
within the province of the circuit
/ Judge"
Regarding this point, upon which
| Marshal Ray expressed doubt the sta.
tutes provide that the circuit Judge has
the power to give the district fudge the
authority to make these appointments
While the authority to appoint the sup.
ervisors lies solely with the Federal of.
! ficers the occasion for doing so much
originated first with the residents OF
the community.