The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-12
THE BILLS TO THIN The VOTE.
TiHNANY Law COMMITTEE
POINTS or THEIR EFFECT.
They Make II Easy to Disfranchlsc Citizens
on the Say-so II irresponsible Men
Who Have Not been Punished Yet for
the Tricks the Courts Caught Them At.

on the Sal'ho uI IrItNpohAipIo 'V"
who Have Not Been Punished Net for
the Tricks the Courts Caught Them At
The law committee Of Tammany Hall
has sent q letter to the members Of the
state gi-llture protecting Pgllnst the
two bills introduced by Senator Elsberg
20 amend the election law. In the letter
it is asserted that the proposed amend
ment 10 section 81, relating to tho striking
Of names on the list Of registered voters
ia most vicious. A citizen whose right to
vote is questioned can now sign an aifi iavit,
or. Il he was absent from home, a member
of the family can sign an affidavit, proving
his legal residence indicated on the regis
try books Senator Elsberg proposes
that in cases where the deputies charge
that uame has been improperly put on
the registration rolls the charge can be
rebutted only by evidence given on oath
by the electOr in open court. With regard
10 this amendment the committee says:
This is establishing new rule OF evil
denoe and putting upon the registered
voters Of the city of New York an unusual
and unjust duty OF requiring them TO APP
pear personally in court or before ref
cree at a sacrifice of their time and wages
of a deputy State Superintendent made
on hearsay and il the elector fails to do
80, imposing upon him the penalty OF losing
his right of suffrage. This would be very
oppressive on the laboring class OF voters
and with this machinery in the hands OF un-
scripulous people would force many
poor man to forego the privilege Of voting,
rather than TO lose his wages for DAY after
4 mr.
put on a calendar, and would terrorize
especially the naturalized voter.
1T Is also a fact that these provisions
would likely work great wrong on well to
do voters For instance. a leading merchant
may register; through no fault Of his the
election officers may give hun an erroneous
address or the election officers figures may
be read mistakenly; the merchant after
registering goes West for a fortnight on
business, in the meantime notice is mailed
70 his house; it is not opened by any one,
but kept for his return with his other mail,
and his name will be stricken from the
registration list, although he was regularly
registered and had a perfect right 10 register;
but suppose that his mail Is opened In his
absence, under this bill no affidavit could
be sent to the man outside Of the city TO
swear TO- because the bin provides that an
affidavit connot be received TO rebuff the
hearsay affidavit of the deputy superin-
tendent OF elections; nor could any member
OF such mans family although living IN
the same house with him, even 90 To court
ahd give sworn evidence that the man
lives In that house, because the bin provides
that the eector must appear PERSONALLY IN
court to rebut the hearsay AFFIDAVIT against
him"
The second of Senator llsberg's two
bills provides for Increasing Inc stan OF the
Superintendent OF Elections and provides
ealaries all the year round for some hun
dreds Of men who can find practically
nothing TO do for at least nine months IN
the year. The law committee protests
against the proposed increased appro-
priation and also against giving the power
Of appointment TO the Superintendent OF
Elections, without first subJecting the
candidates for jobs 10 competitive e1anl-
nation under civil service rules. Paying
itH respects TO Supt. Morgan, the com
mittee in its letter says
THE present incumbent Of tho position
during his administration Of the Office has
attempted to exercise powers not con-
ferred by the Legislature; no has seized
naturalization papers retained them after
lawful demand has been made upon him
for their return and withheld such docu-
ments until legal proceedings had lbeen
instituted before they were returned TO
sale challenging OF citizens. without re-
gard to their standing in the community
and the length Of residence within the cleo
ton district wherein they registered; he
has not respected clergymen nor Supreme
Cou Judges; his deputies have made
reckless afiidavits by the thousands, seek
ing to strike the names Of properly regis
tered voters from the list and after the
courts had denied such motions he has
failed TO call 70 account the deputies who
so recklessly attempted to disfranchise
citizens.
In summing up It's comments on the
bills the committee has reached theee oon-
illusions ms to what the effects OF the mea-
cures will 10 If they become law:
Il To increase the expense 10 the State
Of every election in the city Of New York
by $4,000
a2. TO make it a felony for any citizen
10 disobey the order Of any one of the 900
deputies of the State Superintendent OF
Elections.
g. TO give him 700 deputies belonging
10 one party and only 300 alleged 10 belong
TO the other party, but largely selected by
himself.
~ 10 increase the number Of those
who can examine ci'izens from two to I COS.
IS To make il easy 10 disfranChise citi-
zens by the wholesale; it IL our deliberate
opinion that If this bill becomes a law at
least 80 900 citizens OF New York who are
entitled TO vote will toy trick court pro-
CettunRS, ldlufo ol u notclhttIsT 10 enter
their names. loss Of naturalization papers
unwillingness TO lose wages day after day
and the general state Of terror that will
he produced among voters be deprived Of
their votes.
"The horrors Of the Force bill. that pub
lie sentiment compelled Congress- to repeal.
the infamous days Of John |. Davenport.
even the awfulncss Of government in Russ
will pale before the inquities that will axe
place in the city of New York if these bills
are passed