The San Francisco call., 1906-06-24
HARSH RULINGS
vEXiTHE VOTER
Re-Registration for the
Primary Regarded
as Absurd.

as ABSURD.
The ruling Of the Election Commis-
sioners that there must be new regis
tration for the primary election OF
August IA for choosing delegates TO
the state and district nominating con-
ventions is regarded by very many clti-
zens as extremely absurd The 1act
is well known that the law requires
every voter to register anew for the
general election of November. 1908, but
the same law provides that the voters
who were registered for the election or
1905 are entitled TO vote at the primary
No better proof OF such registration Is
needed than the indices Of the last
election. If the Secretary OF state or
any other officer can produce the index,
then such production should be ae-
cepted as proper proof OF registration
for the primary election
The affidavits, of course. cannot De
produced II they were burned. but the
affldavit Of the voter, which the Regis
trar files. is only the proof Of the
voters identity on which the index Is
based 1t is seldom referred TO except
in case of challenge.
The Board OF Election Commissioners
may cite numerous decisions OF the
Supreme Court and confuse the elec-
tors with an avalanche OF citations.
but the fact still rests in the popular
mind that the index for last years
election contains list OF voters who
are properly registered for the primary
this year. If there had been no FIRE TO
destroy the affldavits- no question as
TO the validity Of the registration could
be raised. The index remains, how
ever, to attest the regularity OF the
registration and also as proof OF the
electors identity.
PARTIES OvERRULED.
Facts touching the case have been
submitted to the Board OF Election
Commissioners by Robert T Devlin,
William s. Wood and Frank Schmirz.
representing the Republican party, and
by William NJ Cannon. William j. Nc
Gee and Curtis I-.llyer for the Demo-
cratic party. The representatives OF
political parties which cast so per cent
of the vote At the election on which
apportionment OF representation was
made are not in accord with the Elec-
tfon Commissioners
Again it is considered that the pri
mary election law was enacted chiefly
for the benefit of political parties to
enable the party organizations to Sc
cure a fair count of the votes for
delegates TO the nominating conven-
tions The index furnishes the oppor
tunity for a fair count quite as readily
{
Lawyers do not advise the course OF
going 10 the Supreme Court for writ
of mandate. as the court might hold
that the election was not essential in
view Of the provision OF law which
gives TO the convention the right to
decide whether delegate shall be adj
uitted. This opens up the qustion
whether the interior delegates to the
Republican convention. for example.
would not be justified in excluding the
entire San Francisco delegation on the
ground that the Board OF Election
Commissioners practically prevented
the Republican voters Of The city from
participating in the primary election
The State convention might elect 70
recognize a delegation appointed by
the County Committee. the lawful gov
erning body of the party.
BOARDS POSITION ABSURD.
It is absurd 10 argue that the cleo
tors should go out 10 Eighteenth and
Dolores streets between this time and
the closing OF registration for the
primary election in order TO register.
The voters themselves know that their
registration for the last general cleo
tion entities them 10 the right under
the law to vote at the coming primary.
provided they have not forfeited such
right by change OF residence
The ruling OF the Election Commits
sioners seems to require electors. In
the unburnt area to register anew. al
though they live now where they re-
sided at the time OF the election last
year.
A common sense view OF the situa-
ton Is what Is needed at this time.
Citations to prove that voters have
some rights which caIamities cannot
cancel are in order The trend OF ar
gument by the Election Commissioners
is toward disfrancnlsement and more
confusion The two great political
parties OF the State are asking that a
mans right TO vote at the primary
shall stand now just as II stood before
his home was burned The people are
wondering why the election authori-
ties are so anxious to limit or abridge
the right OF franchise. Why should
the voter. even IL his name Is not on
the register. be compelled to go to
Eighteenth ana Dolores streets TO be
enrolled?
,CITIzENs ARE WATCHING.
The liquor saloon men. who with soon
be doing business again in San Fran
cisco. are wondering whether the tip
is straight that they must buy bar FIX
lures at one place and no other. glass
ware from one firm and no other.
liquors from a certain dealer and
cigars from another merchant
The number OF saloons under the new
dispensation is limited to 1900. It does
not appear that the residents and prop
erty owners in the vicinity OF the re-
spective places Where liquor Is 20 be
retailed are to Judge OF the merits or
the applicants for lieense The talk
goes that the privilege OF selling wet
goods will go 10 the men who may be
counted on to respond when the local
administration needs help at the polls
No doubt mach Of fhis kikd Of gos-
sip is idle and trivial. but nevertheless
the property owners and citizens gen
orally are keenly watching the de-
velopment of Affairs touching the re-
tail liquor traffic. The Mayor Is COM
mended for insisting on license Of
I $500 Many citizens OF progressive
ideas hoped that he would insist on a
charge OF $1,000 per annum and limit