The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-08-08
NO MACHINE | VOTING
ASSEMBLY KNOCKS OUT. THE
PROPOSAL TO AuToMATIcAL-
LY REGISTER BALLOTS.
Al Ii
THE LOCAL SYNDICATE
GAINS CHANCE TO COMPETE
y. w. LAWYER, on Behalf of the Hersey-
Finch Invention, Induces the Mem
ners to Refuse to Indorse Rules Gov
erning Use of the Voting Machine.

Inc assembly does not want auto
tnatic machine voting in the coming
Iali election, and so went on record last
night Dy its refusal to fndorse the
Ieies regulating. such, and the passage
VI resolution revoking all authority
nereto1ore granted for their use. The
reason Tor this action, as explained by
some of the members. was that they
dld not wish to bind the city to pur-
Chase machines when it was not in a
positton TO do so financially, but the
tedI reason, to all appearances, was
the lnnuence cast by the promoters of
local machine, who feared competi-
tion tney could not fairly meet if allow
eo footing at this time
For TWO days evasion Of the question
at issue, the adoption of the rules reg
ulating the use of machines and nam
ing the United States Standard voting.
machine as the one to be used in the
hFSt precinct of the Seventh ward, was
permitted, but at the meeting last night
something had to be done, and it was
zone by rejecting the rules and revok-
ing ali permission given for the use of
machines IN any precinct of the city.
throughout 1t all Assembfyman Whit
como was alone in registering a mega
tive.
Wanted a Trial.
For the machine on exhibition in the
city hall and selected for use in a pre-
cinct OF the Seventh ward, Franklin HI.
Gr1ggs appeared, while a like service
was performed by D. w. Lawler for the
iersey-F1nch machine, local inven-
tlon namedffor use in the Fourth ward.
MI. Gr1ggS attempted to disabuse the
MINDS OF the members that the use of
ms machine would cost the city cent,
or bind it toward it's purchase in any
way. All that was wanted was a trial.
ne said, and that with a competitive
machine, FIT could be obtained. MFR.
LAWYER, for the fHersey -Fintfa inven-
ton, thought the city would be in a
better shape to purchase ma rtines at
some other time than this. The rules,
he commended, permitted the use of the
outside machine only, which was not
talr when local people had one that was
just as good. In the discussion which
ensued between the two attorneys, Mr..
Gflggs held that the rules had been
passed upon by Mr.. LAWYER and pen
eiled to his satisfaction, but that gen
tleman denied it.
In the vote taken to reject the rules,
Assemblyman. Schurmeier was inclin-
ed to take the negative side assumed
throughout by $Assemblyman Whitcomb
but weakened when Mr. LAWYER an
sWered his question by saying that the
rules did not suit his clients. When a
resolution by Assemblyman Doran, re-
voking previous authority given for
the use of machines, was introduced,
he could no longer contain himself, and
heatedly remarked:
"A Lot of School Boys"
What will the papers saw about
this when they hear it? Thew will
SIMPLY call this body a kindergarten
lot OF school boys. I certainly don't
want to be classed as such in a oues-
tlon so important as this"
HIS remarks, however; were without
avail, and the vote to- sustain both went
through with ample majority. The re-
Voklng OF all authority given fos the
use OF machines in the next election
VIII next go to the board of aldermen.
ana II not acquiesced In by it, will ac-
compllsh nothing. The claim is now
made that as machines have been des-
lgnated Tor two wards in the city, such
must he observed or the election in the
two wards will be invalidated.
The board of county commissioners
besides ordering the use of machines
IN counting the vote of the fall cleo
ton, passed the rules, and now the
point is being raised that as the cleo
tlon IS state and county one, the city
1900
must carry out their wishes.
Not Ready for Use.
The HerseyFinch machine, which
seems to be the basis Of the failure to
nave machine voting. fully indorsed, is
not. according to some of the members.
really ready for use. In fact, could not
be manufactured i'm time for the COM
ing election. Y So far none Of this COM
pany's machines have been on exhibit
ton, nor any information furnished as
to its workings. The people owning il
are local parties, and the general SEN
t1ment of the. members seems to be to-
ward waiting until this company is
ready to actively compete with any RI
walls that may enter the field.
The representatives of the New York
machine, which is called the United
States Standard voting machine, say
they are not knocked out by any means.
but will make every effort to have the
city give their machine trial They
offer one or more for use, without a
cent Of cost, and with no requirement
on the part of the city to buy them,
naid r1oI,i t. =