New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-01
SMOKED OUT. But ALIVE
.IOKER YET IN DAVIS BILL.
Sponsor of Measure ThTcarted by
McCarren and Foley.
fpr TELEGRAPH 70 rur TRIBUssr.l

iBT TELEGRAPH THE TRIBUNEl
Albany, March 31-The 5oker contained IN the
Davis voting machine bnl. which was exposed
IN The Tribune to-day, etin stands. Legislators
say that the measure would make mandatory
upon the city OF New York, as well as upon the
rest OF the State, the expenditure OF millions at
the win of two men. Harry dc B. Parsons OF
New-ToTk. and John II. Barr, OF ithaca. who
at present constitute the State commission TO
examine voting machines. This commission
should consist OF three members, but there is
one vacancy. and Messrs. Parsons ard Barr hold
Office until 1908.
should these men decide upon q voting ma
chine they have simply 70 notify the election
authorities OF every community IN the State and
these officials must buy the machine they recon-
mend. The failure 20 amend the Tin to-day was
not due 10 Senator Davis. lie attempted TO in
troduoe amendment which would strike out
all the mandatory features OF the biz, but Sena-
tors McCa-ren and Foley were on their feet 10
object and the amendment was not added.
The story OF the manner IN which the Joker
got into the bin is worth notice When the bill
was considered in committee Senator Bowling
objected 20 amendment which took the power
OF deciding upon the use Of a machine out OF
the hands OF the local commission and placed It
in the hands OF new commission. to consist OF
the Secretary OF State, the Controller and the
Attorney General
By clever elimination OF words apparently
10 suit Senator Bowling the whole spirit OF his
objection defeated. and at the same time
this vast authority had been vested IN OBJ
scure commission When HIS attention
called 10 this. Senator Bowling at first de-
ClRred that the bill had been go amended that It
had been made permissive. He instantly ad-
United his error, and declared that he would
fight for the amendment OF the BIN which SEN
ator Davis had proposed Had the amendment
been accepted. II would have been possible TO
explain the matter a error Of the COM
nittee
The promise made in some quarters that the
bill Is 60 be amended should not allow any mis-
understanding as to the situation 1t should be
remembered that the really dangerous situe-
ton now existing was provoked by the amend
ing OF the bin before. How serious this situa-
ton is was pointed out roughly IN the figures
mentioned this morning. The cost OF voting
machine is $500. Figuring average Of two
10 an election district although this is mani
festly too few. this bill IL passed would allow
two men 10 order the expenditure by the New
York City election authorities Of SL665.Voo. or
for three machines to a district, almost $500
600. The expense 10 the other communities Of
the State would at least amount 10 equal
sum
There are, however, other phases Of the situa-
that q number OF lobbyists have been at the
Capitol in the interests Of this bin. and that
raises the question OF what voting machine
would be chosen. Many suspect that some ma
chine is already IN the mind from certain speci-
hcations OF the bin. which read as follows:
Every such voting machine must be con-
struCted that a voter can change his vote on
any regularly nominated candidate up TO the
time he starts to leave the machine All Of the
registering counters in the first party row on
the voting machine shall be designated by the
letter "A" and shall be numbered cOnsecutively
from zone" I'D, beginning with the counter which
belongs to the head Of the ticket. The counter
in the second party shall be designated by
the letter 'B and shall be numbered In the same
manner. The third, fourth, fifth, sixth and sew
enth party rows shall be designated respectively
lv the letters &C" ID" sIc" IF" and &c" and
the counters thereof shall be numbered accord
ingly. II the machine be equipped with sep
arate straight ticket counters, such counters
shall be numbered 90 The yes and count
ers shall be designated yes. one no: TWO
YES, two no. etc.
All voting machines shall have their voting
devices for the individual candidates arranged
in separate parallel party lines, one for each
party, and parallel Office rows, transverse there
10. The enactment OF this section shall not
make necessary denomination OF any voting
machine that has been already legalized. hut
such voting machine shall conform TO all OF the
above rec IlrementS.