The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-12-24
WHO CAUSED THE TROUBLE?

Ignoring the fact that final ruling relative to
the primaries situation has been agreed upon by the
Board of Election Commissioners. the Globe still ill.,
sists that Democratic politicians have framed up
a scheme to control the coming primaries by gang
methods. The Republican machine organ further
declares that the minority in the legislative session
of 1908 cannot be held responsible for the legal tan
gle which is the basis of the dtculty but that tie
whole trouble is due to incompetent legislation by
a fool minority party
The specious nature of the first charge is amply
demonstrated by the one fact that the board has
rendered no decision but has referred the question
to the City Counselor.
With reference to the second short citation Of
the history of the new election statute will show
that the law itself was enacted concession
not by any means confession-to Republicans
and that the features of it. to which the present d
lemma is almost wholly due, was upheld and passed
by Republican votes
To cover up the truth which discredited Republic
anism in st. Louis, the cry was raised that Demo-
cratic successes at the polls were solely the result
of the ..noxious" Nesbit law. We were told that
jobbery and not the atrocous crimes against public
decency committed by Republican officials, turned
81. Louis Democratic Democratic confidence rested
then and rests now in its own record and in the
willing and ready to improve the election law Ac-
cordingy. new bill was drawn up and passed by
the present Legislature last winter.
During the tendency of the bill. and for several
years before, The Republic contended that central
in conjunction with precinct registration desra
bic as matter of public convenience. Against the
advice Of The Republic and against the better sense
of the socalled regular Democrats the provision of
the law completely abolishng central registra-
ton was allowed to go through. Herein is the main
obstacle confronting the Board of Election Com
missioners. They may not lawfully register voters
at the central or City Hall Office and yet, to en-
large the primary or any lists, it would to be
necessary to effect entirely new registration in
the precincts. And new registration, it appears,
is not provided for until seven weeks prior to the
next regular election. u
Republicans with the Globe for spokesman, in
pursuance of the endeayor to kick up great dust
out of the election law matter, thus to blind the
public their late misrue in ST. Louis, wildly main
tanned that central registration the source of
endless frauds and that it must go altogether.
The consequence was that the demand for the
special provision which causes the present difficulty
was forced in the House Of Representatives by the
Republicans and Filipino Democrats, the combina-
ton which then controlled legislation Had central
registration, always convenience to voters, been
retained, the existing unfortunate predicament
would have been obyiated. In the event that the
City Counselor decides that no further registration
can be permitted until next fall the blame must
fall chiefly upon the Republican fap-doodle elo-
quence which howled down any and all Of the pro-
visions of the old Nesbt law and refused to pro-
long central registration even in the period which
must elapse before the precinct registration
could be made. .N