The San Francisco call., 1906-06-23

The question as 10 whether the reg
1stration for the last primary election
can be used at the coming primaries
was decided adversely by the board
OF Election Commissioners at a meet
ing held at Mowry's Hall last night.
The board was in receipt Of a request
from the executive committee of the
state Central Committee OF the Repub-
publican party requested this hoe I'd
Der or the Great Registers OF the citv
ana county OF San Francisco printed
Tor use al the election 10 be held on
august H. The Democratic party aft
erWards concurred in this request The
members Of the board contend that rbe
Great Registers have been DESTROYED
ana declare that the Secretary of state
from whom copies would have 10 be
secured is only in possession OF printed
lnoices OF the registration.
me decision rendered by the board
= - cally the same as was rendered
oy FRANKLIN x. Lane while the latter
was acting rs the City and Cosntv A.
borney The Election Commissioners
VIII take no further action in the mar
Ter unless some future decision is ron
oered by courts. The registration from
January i OF this year until the pres-
ent time is intact and this. with the
IeBlstration that is made before Julv
% VIII alone be considered as legal
by the election officers. The dectsfon
IS as follows:
COMMITTEE MAKES REQUEST.
pom the 18th day OF June 1905 the
Stele EXECUTIVE Committee Of the pc
YeDLlcsn Party requested this board
- naEe = suncient number Of the
S-tal registers Of the city and county
kLlnLeo from copies on file with the
secretary OF State. for use al the pri
-1s66ley eleetlon 70 be held on August Il
-svos ana appointed q committee of
lnree 70 act in conjunction with a like
S-ll-1sil zee, II appointed, by the Demo-
cratf State committee 10 stlch reoSlest
Upon copy of such resolution hai5C
furnished 70 the Democratic State con-
mlttee, n appointed a committees Of
tLtee, as suggested by such resolution.
Sllu sucn JOINT committee upon June
70 presented such resolution of request
70 this board. and were heard bv both
written and oral argument The Re
pupncan and Democratic committees
appear 10 have acted upon the belief
Nitat lne secretary Of State had a copv
q. q me Iast Great Register of voters Of
ne CITY and county OF San Francisco.
Ine original OF which was destroyed BIZ
-sS on Apfl les 1906. together with all
aIlioavlts OF registration taken pursu-
ant 10 sections 1895 and 1885. Political
Code. for the years 1904 and 1905.
Inc secretary Of State has no copv
Iot 81 me SAID Great Register. nor is any
-1 existence Ihls board has a copy
OF the printed index TO the registratier
OF the years 1904 and 1905, made pur-
suant TO Section 1115. Political code
The registration Of the wears 1904 and
1900 was Cancelled on January l. 1906
ana a new reglstra ton began on that
day. pursuant TO law.
PRECAUTIONS AGAINST FRAUD.
In 1899 the Legislature. to more eff
lecLlaily prevent fraudulent voting
provided that all the matters specified
III Seetion 1895, Political Code, must be
contained IN afhdavits in duplicate sub
ScrlpeQ and sworn TO by each person
applying Tor registration. and that
s9cn original afldavits should be al
pna petically arranged. numbered con-
secuuvely, and bound in book form. and
mat one OF such books OF afidavits
ShaI be sent 10 the Election Board in
each precinct, and that such book of
original af1davits shall constitute the
register 10 be used at such election A"
fSee Sections 1925. 1895. 1897 1903 lIl3
11l6. Political COde)
BY Section 1904 the ballot clerk is
forbidden 10 give a ballot 10 a voter
until his name is found upon the reg
lister, and until the name such voter
pared with the signature Of such per-
son on the register. and by Section
20 a. the same provision is made ap-
plicable at prNnary election.
As no one can vote any ballot ex-
cept one delivered by a ballot clerk
this Is provision that no person can
vote until his name is found on such
register, and such comparison of origi-
nal signatures is made. II is very APP
parent that the law deemed the origi-
nal signature 10 the affidavit as an es-
sentlal and effective guard against
fraud. and the amendments in 1905 70
Section 1904, Political Code. and the
new Section l36Ta, Political Code. last
referred 20. show very conclusively the