Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-12-26
VOTING MACHINES
Ottumwa Politicians Favor Pur-
chase of at Least Eight.
TO SUPPLY OTTUMWA AND ELDON
Des Moines Has Bought Thirty Ma
chimes at $500 Each and Many Think
Time Has Come for WapelIo County
to Get Them.


Time Has Come for WapeIo County
to Get Them.
Ottumwa has arrived at a point in
politics where, in the opinion OF a
great many public men in the city and
county, she needs voting machines
win which to carry on her elections.
The slow process necessary to vote
and to count the ballots is decidedly
against the inclination of progressive
American minds, and as OttumWa is
progressive her politicians are becom-
ing tired OF such slow work. Then,
too, there is no doubt as to the cor
rectness of the voting when ma
chine is used. and once the vote is
counted, which is as soon as the last
man has voted, the election is over
and there is no room for discussion.
! Needed in Ottumwa.
In short, there can be no question as
to the usefulness of the voting ma
chimes, and the only feature of the af-
fair that keeps them from being used
universally is the cost. This is the
lsubject now under consideration in
this city and county, where the matter
of voting machines is being discussed
freely. However, the recent contest
over the treasurcrship matter has
brought local politicians to realiza-
ton Of the fact that the city is get
ting too large for continuance of vot-
ing in the old way when there is a bet
ter way possible. and it is safe to say
that within a short time this city will
have the machines.
Des Moines Has Them.
The voting machine is no longer an
experiment. Its practlcability has
been demonstrated at numerous times,
and the standard makes are admitted
to be accurate. They have been used
2 for some time in New York and other
! large cities with good success, and
now the smaller places are beginning
/ to use them. Des Moines has just de-
cided to buy thirty machines, ten to
: be purchased by the city and twenty
, lby the county. These are to cost $500
each, and to be be used at the com
ing spring election. The Climax is
. the machine upon which the joint
4 board decided owing to the fact that
5 although there were two others sub
u,
J. which had been passed upon and ap
e proved by the state voting machine
commission.
= AS An Experiment.
J. Des Moines purchased her machines
/ only after two years of investigation
so that there is no hurry about OF
/ tumwa coming to a decision, but ac
cording to the statements made re
:, Gently by prominent politicians it il
= time for something to be done in thu
way of beginning A good suggestion
t, that has been made is that machin
be procured for the purpose of expert
}, ment and placed, say, in the third war;
of the city. Some have moved t
T. amend this by inserting sixth il
D lieu of third" owing to the conduc
o of that ward in the matter of the tres
IS surership in the recent fall election
". but popular sentiment seems to favo
the third.
% In Ottumwa and Eldon.
u In case this is done and the Fmachin
i, proves satisfactory and accurate, til
a. board of supervisors and the city coul
&c ell could doubtless arrive at an agre
;. ment whereby the requisite number {
e ee machines could be purchased. Thel
81 would be no need of getting machine
for every precinct in the county at or
- time, as some are so small that thel
"a. is now no trouble in getting the ballo
1l- counted in short time after they al
cast. However. the seven precincts
l.. this city and the precinct in Washin
le- ton township which includes Edo
should it is thought, have voting m
lc- chimes.
ee A number of the more active pc
ticians have expressed themselves
er being in favor of the purchase of m
So- chimes, and it is thought that in
short time Ottumwa will be followil
% the example of Des Moines by buyil
~ them.
The Climax.
~ The Climax machine, which h
~ been purchased by the Des Moines o
ne Gals. is about the size of the ordina
IN, roll-top desk and will care for vot
ol each minute. 1t records the vote CO
VIZ for each candidate on the tickets a
counts the vote automatically, SO til
US, the result is known the minute t
/. polls are closed and the machines {
ened at night.