The Ordway new era., 1907-01-18
Nc IND UUCOH

! secretary Of state Timothy o'Con,
| nor has announced the appoin,H,t H,tv as
chief clerk in his ofice. Mr.. Mitcnel'
has heen serving in this capacity our
inc the term of James Cowie. former
secretary of state. :,
II ia claimed that the machine WIN
| nav for itself in q few elections. Inc mo
ment the polls close the vote Is reau'
10 he recorded as with an addins ma
| chine and much time is saved IN TINS
manner. Election officials now charso
two days to the county. with the ma
chine one day would suffice. The pre-
| cincts would be enlarged and IN Den
yer the number reduced from wv "
100 Provision is made In the statute
that a precinct where the votihs ma, ar
chine is in use must have al least WV
voters.
One of the last official acts OF Gov.
ernor Mcdonald was the appointment
OF a commission of three TO pass upon
voting machines that may DO SUI
mitted TO the state under the cohsutu
tional amendment and statute deaI4hb
with that subject passed two years
ago. He named Frank c. Con ehs.-
neer to the board OF education; AIbioh
X. Vlckery, county clerk, and John u
Hunter. engineer OF the board OF puolio
works. They are all well known eiu-
zens. Their official title Is state
board OF voting machine commission
ers." They are appointed for AVe
years and their fees come from tne
owners of voting machines who suo-
NIT their product Tor examination as
to their availability. Their duties arc
to pass on the efficiency. accuracy, etc''
Of any machine submitted. Machines
that pass scrutiny can enter compeu-
ton for adoption as the official ma
chine or official machines as tho case
may be. Under the law now in euecs
each county can choose its standard.
but II must come from one OF those
approved by the commission.
Among the bills that have been pre-
sented to the Legislature, is one IN
each house 10 correct and amend tho
criminal law. so that the people may
have the right OF appeal when as
trict judge has decided that certain
criminal statute is unconstitutional.
In the past such cases. when once de-
cided against the people, have set
precedent in that court which nothing
could disturb. The prisoner has al
ways had the right OF appeal when a.
point was lost. but the rights OF tho
people. or the public prosecutor, have
ceased when the decision resulted In
the dlsmissinE of the prisoner. The
idea OF the proposed law Is TO enable
the prosecutor TO take appeal on tho
point OF law. Nothing that a higher
court would decide would have any
effect upon the case. which would hava
been already decided in favor OF thu
accused. but II would enable the hlghe:
court 10 review the decision to decide
il should be accepted by all
courts Should the Supreme Court de.
eide that the lower court had erred,
might then be again tried
or In similar cases under the law In
question.
A bill has been introduced In the
senate by Senator W W Booth to
AVE the Colorado Prison Association
made a bureau OF parole supervision
or prlsuneTs from the state pent
cntiary and rcfo-ma,ory subject 10 /
the final authority uf the wardcns Of
H''~ o.. Fhh 'A'F lNr. a.#|AbNNa ~
same bill has also b..u introduced In !
the House by Representative George
:. Redd. During The last three yclrI ,
the Colorado Prison Association has
been actively engaged IN assisting pris {
oncrs discharged from jails and from {
the peu!icnuaTy aud r.tormatory. The I
records show about eighty cases in
1904, LOG cases in 1905 and I54 casea
In 1906. In only n lew Instances have {
these persons 80 aided had to be re
turned to prison Tor violating their Do
roles or for new crimes. Hitherto thla
work has been maintained by the prL
vate benefactions OF generous hearted
citizens In all parts OF Colorado the
state giving its endorsement by fur
nishing Office room and telephone ser
vice at the state capitol. For the last,
Sear or two there has been feeling
among those whose gifts have su-
tanned the work that the state ought.
Mt this General Assembly. to set the
Colorado Prison Association apart
with adequate appropriation. to con.
tinue its work and enlarge Its useful
ness. And it is in response to this
sentiment that The bill has been intro |
duced.