The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1905-01-03

tiers pertaining 10 the last election, AZ
considerable length. and find:
hat the law now in force guarantees
secret ballot, but through the alleged
Ignorance OF the inspectors Of all the
precincts on this island in which there
was a large Hawaiian vote, and more
especially where there was a large vote
OF men employed on Government work.
the ballots were deposited in the box
without removing the numbers there
from. thereby ending all secrecy This.
coupled with the fact, as testified TO be-
fore us, that IN some instances the vot-
ers we're told that il would be known
how they voted, because their ballots
were to remain numbered certainly
would, and we believe did, intimidate
many of the electors.
We think 1t a remarkable coincidence
that TINS one mistake should have been
made so generally. by supposedly intel
ligent inen, acting independently of each
other, and that no other mistake should
have been made by them; and this, after
| many protests were made, to which
they replied that they we're running the
election, and did not propose to be in
terfered with by outsiders. These IN
spectors showed anything but a desire
to be enlightened, but now, with one
accord, enter the plea of ignorance. For
instance. IN the precinct in which R. Z.
Lockwood was chairman of inspectors.
| where 2Io votes were cast with their
numbers on, he persisted in continuing
to do this, although repeated protests
| against his conduct we're made, to all
of which he replied that he had his in
structions and was taking no outside
advice or orders, and did not desist until
Secretary Atkinson appeared, after IL
O'Clock, and ordered him to tear off the
numbers.
| We hnd, however, that there is no way
under the present election laws to pre-
vent such acts of the inspectors. as the
laws seem to make them the sole Judge
OF their own acts. without appeal ex-
cept to the Supreme Court of the Ter
ritory (Which is not in session on cleo
ton day..
We further find, in two instances at
least there were duplicate official bal
lots in existence. One was complete
ballot stub and all, without any mark,
found the day after election. And we
md number of a ballot corresponding
to this unmarked ballot. to have been
voted in the fourth precinct of the
fourth district. The inspectors in that
precinct testified that thew tore the bal
lots off the stub in every instance, re-
tanning the stubs.
HAD THE STUB ATTACHED.
But this ballot had the stub attached.
| Unfortunately, when we called for the
| package containing the returns of this
precinct we found the bag containing
these returns unsealed, and the stubs Of
the legislative tickets missing. Inspec-
tors Savage and Angus of this precinct
both said that they put the stubs in the
bag and delivered them to Mr.. Buck
land, Secretary of the Board of Regis
tration, at one o'clock a. m. All the
other returns were found sealed, accord
ing to law; everything was there, but
the one thing needed, to-wit: the stubs
of the legislative tickets. The other
case was in the sixth precinct of the
fifth district, where the witness testified
that he and two others received the first
three ballots given out at that precinct,
and that he was the first to vote, and
saw the number torn off his ballot; that
| when the two others voted he saw the
numbers torn off their ballots He fur
ther stated that he was at and in the
| booth all the time, from the opening of
| the polls until the ballots were counted,
except about one-half an hour at noon,
| and saw the numbers torn off every bal
lot while he was present. But to his
surprise, and the surprise of the in
spectors, when they were counting the
ballots, one ballot was found in the box
with a number attached, and he (the
witness) retained the number when the
inspector tore it off, and found it to be
the same number as the ballot of the
! man that voted lust after him in the
morning, which he, himself, saw torn
off at the time the ballot was put into
the ballot-box.
AS to other matters concerning the
election. having found several indict-
ments, we will make no further COM
ment, as the matter is now before the
court
We would recommend that the cleo
ton laws be so amended that such gross
abuses may become impossible, and the
inspectors held responsible for all in
fractions of the law and suffer such
penalties as the Legislature shall pre-
scribe. And further, we recommend
that some comprehensive provision be
made for a recount of the ballots when
contests arise and recount demanded.
Also that at least one inspector must
be appointed from the opposing party
or parties, in each and every precinct.
these inspectors to be appointed from
persons whose names shall have been
sent in by the governing body of the po-
litical party entitled to representation.
We believe the ballot-box to be the
cornerstone of our whole governmental
edifce, and every safeguard should sur
round it, TO the end that the result of
all elections shall be without suspicion
The report is signed by seventeen
members. the full grand jury.