The Republican journal., 1903-05-14
THE CAUCUS LAW.


In his inaugural address last January
Governor Hill urged caucus reform IN
the following terms:
every safeguard of the general election
should be placed about the caucus. Our
present system is liable to grave aDuSe, and
l earnestly recommend and urge the enact
| ment of a direct primary law winch Will
more completely preserve the purity OF the
DallOt, and under severe penaltleS prevent
the members of one party from participating
| in the caucuses of another. The necessity
Tor some action is so apparent as 10 make
comment on my part unnecessary. There
| nave been so many instances OF irregular
practice in the primaries that some direct
and controlling legislation is imperatively
demanded
Out of this recommendation came
Chapter 215 of the Public Laws of
Maine, 1908, the act relating to political
caucuses, correctly classed as one of
the most important acts OF the session.
This has been criticised as destructive
of the secrecy of the ballot and as SO
bound up in red tape as to repel voters
and decrease the already too small at
tendance at party primaries. Repre-
| sentative Oakes of Auburn, however,
who had much to do with the framing
of the bill, shows in an interview given
to the Lewiston Journal the baseless
character of these charges. Boiled
down, the law provides:
Participation in caucus without enroll
ment is prohibited.
Enrolment is made by filing declaration
with town or city clerk.
person once enrolled may change his
enrolment at any time, but he cannot take
part in any caucus for six months thereafter.
Blanks and books for enrolment are pro-
vided by clerks, and the enrOlmentS are
made public records open to everybody
A person not previously enrolled may en-
roll with the town or city clerk up to the
day of the caucus, or by taking the pre-
scribed oath, may enroll during the caucus.
Caucuses not held in accordance with
the act are unlawful but citizens caucuses i
are permitted.
Voting more than once, or in wrong dis |
trict, or bribery, are prohibited:
Seven days public notice OF caucuses is
provided, and use of check lists may be ell
forced upon request of small number
Penalty for violation of this lawis fine |
not exceeding $500, or Imprisonment not |
more than six months.
The need of some such reform had |
been made evident by the occurrence
in number of instances of the grave
abuse" to which Governor Hill said the
former unregulated system was liable,
that is, the participation of members
of one party in the caucuses OF the |
other The abuse had been particular
ly fagrant in Androscoggin county,
and it was there that the demand for |
reform was loudest. This demand is
believed to have been fully met by the |
act, which by enrolment fixes the party |
connection of each vote and makes un-
lawful participation ill caucuses prac-
tically impossible.
Mr. Oakes denies that the caucus |
law is inconsistent with the secret |
ballot act, because while it is presuma- |
BILE that person would vote in accord |
ance with his party registration, such
registration in no way binds him to do
so, and there is no means to determine
whether he does or not. Nor is the
process of enrolment complicated. n
man simply goes to the office of the city
or town clerk and signs his name, giving
enough information about himself for
identification and stating whether he
has previously enrolled and if so in
what party. This is once for ALL A
registration lasts for a lifetime, unless
the voter sees fit to change his political
party. Then he goes to the town clerk
and files a new declaration, but he can
not participate in any party caucus for
six months. There are also provisions
for the use of check lists, If required,
for the correction OF mistakes IN en-
rollment and for allowing citizens
caucuses. AS Oakes puts it, two things
were aimed at, first to leave the utmost
freedom possible so that all unnecessary
machinery should be avoided, and
second to provide all possible safeguards
| whenever occasion required
The practical test of the law is yet to
come, of course but it looks as though
well calculated to attain the objects
desired. 1t does not apply to cities
already having special caucus laws, IKE
! Portland and Biddeford, nor does 1t
apply to towns of less than 1000 inhabl-
tants. The latter feature is the most
questionable, perhaps, since 1t seems TO
insinuate that the larger towns are
more dishonest than the smaller, when,
as matter of fact, some Of the small
towns are quite as likely to need eau,
Gus law as the larger ones.-Portland
Press.