The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-07-23
THE COLUMBIA MACHINE
OFFICIAL REPORT OF COMMISSION
DELIVERED TO COMPANY.
1t Is Probable that This Voting Ma
chine VIII BE Manufactured in
indianapolis.

A copy of the report Of the Indiana COM
mission on voting machines. as 10 the ex-
animation of the Columbia voting machine,
was delivered to James NJ. Wood pres
ident of the Columbia Company. yesterday.
The report was voluminous and exhaustive.
covering a complete description of the de-
vice.
The report says: 1T is impossible for the
voter to perform any act upon the machine
which will cause the failure of registration
of his vote if he has voted; it prevents alb
soutely any possibility of repeating. The
mechanical construction is compact, rigid,
accurate, without gears of any kind, and
of such character that it will stand all
reasonable uses without HARM
With this machine. the report says, the
elector can vote in absolute secrecy. He
can vote a straight party ticket or part of
one party ticket and parts of any other
ticket; he can vote for all candidates for
whom he is entitled to vote; he cannot
vote for one candidate for the same office
more than once. The machine correctly
registers by mechanical counters every
vote cast on the regular ticket The ma
chine is provided with seven or more pairs
OF Yes" or mo" counters, with the oper-
ating and voting devices thereof. 1t is con-
structed to contain the tickets of seven
political parties with the names of all cam
dldates thereon, and so that the names of
all candidates for the presidential electors
Will not occur thereon but in lieu one ballot
III each party column or row shall contain
only the names presidential electorsJ, pre-
coded by the party name. Every vote reg
istered for such ballot label operates as a
vote Tor all candidates of such party for
presidential electors and is counted as sucn.
All votes are cast on the machine on a reg
ular ballot or ballots registered. The ma
chine Is provided with adequate means for
casting indeDendent votes so that no fraud
may be perpetrated in votes of this sort.
1t is so constructed that when an independ-
ent vote is cast the elector cannot vote for
any other name on the machine for the
same office. The elector can vote for any
person or persons he may choose for pres
idential electors. The machine possesses
many other requirements extended in their
description and fulfilling completely, and
more, all conditions pertaining to honest
elections. The commission ends its report
by stating that considered as a whole the
machine is strong, durable in construction.
! Will not break easily or get out of order and
II is the belief of the commission that il
| may be safely adopted for use in any
county OF the State of Indiana"
CONSTRUCTION OF MACHINE.
The machine is contained in a rigid steel
casing supported by wrought iron legs at
| such height as to bring the voting keys
| within easy reach of the voter and so made
that 1t may be moved bodily from place to
| place without injury to its mechanism. 1t
is so constructed that neither the voter
nor the election officers can possibly have
| access to its interior and after an election
| the registered results of the election on
! the machine can be exposed to the public
| without the possibility of any one chang
| ing the registration. After the last voter
| has cast his vote, the report says, the cleo
| ton inspectors lock the machine with a
paddock, thereby locking every key in the
| machine and every counter against further
| manipulation. The inspectors hold separate
! keys to separate locks to the rear doors of
| the machine. 1t is impossible for the reader
! OF the counters to in any way become con-
| fused, thus insuring absolute accuracy in
| recording the reading of the machine.
The machine is manufactured under let
| ter patent and in all probability will be
/ manufactured in Indianapolis. The COM
| pany has now under consideration proposals
| from several large manufacturing establish
ments here and elsewhere to make the ma
chine for it and from the prices presented
| II is believed that it can be manufactured
| at a lower cost than any other machine
now passed in any State. The board OF
directors, which consists Of some of the
| best-known business men in Indiana, have
already formulated a plan of presenting
the machine for sale throughout the coun-
|