New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-15
NO VOTING MACHINES.
Fire to One Majority in assembly
Defeats O'NeW Bill
Try TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIBUNE.l

Albany. April 14.-By one of the largest ma
jorities Of the session, the Assembly to-day de-
feated the O'Neill BILL providing for the manda-
tory adoption OF the ballot machine by all the
voting communities of the State Party lines
were entirely laid aside, more Republicans than
Democrats voting against the bill, and to the
bitter and forceful denunciation of the nature
of the proposed legislation by the New-York
Republican Assemblymen, together with Mr..
Wainwright. of westchester. the defeat by a
five to one najority-1O5 to 21-was in large
part due BY these Republicans it was Ge-
nounced as the most absurd and improper meas
ure of the entire session. and its antecedents
were plainly indicated. Only one Republican
Assemblyman from New-York County, Mr. Wal
lace, voted for the bill.
The attack upon the measure was led by AS
semblyman Wainwright who declared that the
bill would entirely change and destroy the right
of franchise now possessed by voters. by MAX
ing no provision for independent nominations.
He protested against the mandatory features
and the vast expense contingent upon its adop-
ton, saying:
We are not ready for any such measure;
there isn't any cry for IL throughout the state;
the people are satisfied with the present system.
The demand comes from the people VINO nave
got voting machines TO sell. 1t is bad Dill;
the people don't want it and they Will hold US
to strict account If we pass II.
Assemblyman Newcomb Rep). of New-York
seconded the attack. He said in part:
1 don't think there ever more absurd
proposition presented to any body in the closlns
hours Of its session. / wonder at the tenlerlty
that permitted it to come to a vote we are
here face to face with proposition expert
mental in nature, mandatory in FORM 10 IOTce
upon every community of the State machine
without the slightest assurance that IL is Capa-
BILE Of performing it's functions. There is no
public desire for this machine: the effort comes
fira1t- from
1t is proposed to put this machine in the M
teen hundred election districts of greater New
York Does anybody suppose That between
May | and election that number OF machines
can be manufactured so that they can be OPP
Grated without large percentage railing Inc
result i'm the approaching Presidential election
I'm this State might be close; no one can teI
the political effect Of this attempt TO foist
upon a community this machine, and the pro-
motors of this bill are doing much to tamper
with the highest and most important duty or
the people OF this State. 1 have been asked to
vote for this bill by a number Of members OF
this body. who good fellows. but l believe
! should be recreant to my duty TO my con-
stituency IL / did not oppose the Dill
AssembIyman Finch. of NewYork, briefly
called attention TO the fact that the ONeill bill
was SO drawn that if new party organizations
were formed after the machine had been sup
piled to the districts. II would then be neces-
sary to buy an entirely set Of machines.
Assemblyman Wade. Of Chautauqua. spoke
briefly i'm answer 10 the criticisms made upon
the machine He admitted frankly that he was
interested in the stock OF a voting machine ana
refrained from voting, but declared that the bill
did not come from people interested in voting
machine.
Long before the vote was put. 1t became ap-
parent that the overwhelming sentiment OF the
Assembly was against the measure, ana on the
rollcall the Republican leader on the moor AS
semblyman Rogers. and over sixty other Repuo-
Iicans ted against the measure, even Repub-
licans from districts where the machine was IN
satisfactory use like Assemblyman Hooker, or
tennessee and ogden. OF Rochester voting against
the mandatory features OF the bill ana clearly
explaining their action. 80,
The defeat of the Davis Ballot Machine oii
n ,arn,Issive measure. I'm the Senate yesterday
"a tbe overwhelming majority against the
,aaa s,,re in the Assembly to-day. due to the de-
cided stand OF the Republicans against the bil
finally disposed of the voting machine question:
for the present session.