The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1901-10-10
HARRISBURG LETTER.
HARRISBURG, Pa. Oct.

HARRISBURG, Pa, Oct. 7.
There may be no organized OPP
position to the constitutional amend
ments to be voted on at the coming
election, but one of them is Of so
important a character that no voter
who favors honest elections can
afford to be Indifferent to its success.
The first OF these provides for per-
sonal registration in the larger cities,
and the second for the use of auto
matte voting machines. The joint
resolutions providing for the sub
mission of these amendments have
beeu passed through two sessions of
the Legislature agreeably to the
provisions of the fundamental law
and if approved by the people at the
coming election will become effect
i've.
The resolutions providing for
these amendments were vetoed by
the Governor after the close Of the
session of 1899. The reason assign
ed for the Executive hostility to one
was that it would not fulfil expecta-
tions but would involve expense to
the communities affected. The
Governors objections to the other
was that the machines would cost
something like million and-a-h half
OF dollars. The supreme Court sub
sequently held that the Governor
had no right to veto joint resolu-
tons proposing constitutional
amendments. Since that there has
been no outward sign of opposition
from the executive mansion or the
Republican machine headquarters,
though his Excellency declared in
his recent Pittsburg speech that he
is indifferent on the subject
The amendment providing for
personal registration is of the ut
most importance, however, aud
every citizen should support it most
earnestly. 1t is a we'll established
TACT that the loose methods Of regis
tering voters in the larger cities is
the most prolific source of ballot
frauds. For example under the eX-
listing system one man may have a
hundred or more names, real or fic.
titious, put on the registry list.
Half dozen persons can exercise
this privilege in a single election
district. On election day every one
of these names are voted on by re-
peaters, persouators and ballot box
suffers, and i'll the aggregate ac-
cording to conservative estimates
so, 900 fraudulent votes are cast in
that way III Philadelphia every year.
1t is believed that 1000 illegal
votes are cast in the same way III
Pittsbury and Allegheny and every
city of considerable population con-
tributes more or less to this struct
ure of fraud.
1t might reasonably be asked why
personal registration has not been
adopted long ago. 1t is a practi-
cally sure remedy for the evil, be-
cause it brings the person claiming
to be voter into the notice cf the
election officers and party workers a
week or ten days before the election.
If there is any reason to doubt his
identity or question his integrity
there is time to make an investiga-
ton. Moreover the same man must
go through the ordeal twice. That
is to say when he appears to register
he must submit to the questions and
again when he comes to cast his
vote he is subject to examination,
But such precautionary measures
are not necessary in the country dis
trlcts where every voter personally
knows every other one 1t is eX-
pensive and causes Inconvenience.
But the constitution requires that
the laws for registry must be uni
form, and therefore it is impossible
under the constitution, unless it is
amended, topass personal registry
law for the large cities unless it is
made to extend to all other localities
in the State.
Honest elections are cheap at any
price and personal registration in
the big cities will guarantee honest
elections. But the representatives
of the counties in which there was
no necessity for personal registration
have always held, and justly, too,
that it would be unfair to saddle
their constituents with the expense
to reform an abuse that only existed
i'll other localities. For that reason
the pending constitutional amend
ment was proposed and it ought tc
be adopted. AS stated in the outset
there may be no opposition but it i.
unsafe 10 rely OH that for it may be
reasonably expected that the adop-
/ ton of the reform will make n vast