New-York tribune., 1908-02-21
BOGUS VOTES, 10000.
PLAN FOR CLEAN B4LLOT.
Republican Committee Reports =
State Convention on April II.

+
Committee announced last night from the pat
form that the Republican State Convention
probably would be held on Tuesday, Aprll H.
and that the state committee would meet Oh
Saturday. March T. for the calling of the state
convention.
The time of the committee. at the Murray nm
Iyceum was largely taken up by ex-ASSehoiS
man p Finch who read report from the
special committee Of seven on eiectioh ii"'"'
which was forecast in The Tribune YESTERDAY
Mr. Finch said that the fraudulent vote in this
city never falls below thirty thousaiio' anu -
irnortant elections far exceeds that number
He said that the fraudulent voting was hidoe
possible By the lack of personal identification Oh
tho voters After reviewing at length the sys-
fanatic rascalities practised at the polls on odyS
of registration and election, the report says;
An absolute means of Identification would De 10
require the thumb print system OF bts Sae would be
prsn,caiiV a complete means of Identification ana
in default of any other leg ndrson who put
the name registry book to vote the sdf nded cd
gain because the class of people who are empi%oyed %
as the actual ballot thieves is sucn tno II ~ Is f tb
name on the book on registration day ana 10 'o'o
the same Election Day. -. .,,,, ,,r,o that Il
wishes to go the length of recommending such Ia
evas that the method which Will be here
mended is sufficient to at least warfamt oenenre rts
% Your tH Committee therefore recommends that two
ton books and that the same two columns De dii,
first r 20 of these two additional columns shall be stated
the fun of the tenant or householder MIN wi9n
tionaI column, being the last column in the reg
lSartn pTnted above 'S each @ line the fore
going statements are true, ana the eieCioI sLd @
tence in the register of electors made by the cna
man oS the board of inspectors, and on Electioh
Day in one of the poll books.
The committee recommends list of close
questions which would make it difficult for
"foater" to remember on Election Day II he
tried to repeat what he said registration
day. The answers made registration day
shall not be turned to on Election Day until
the voter makes answer to all OF the questions
If the voter is not illiterate, Comparison OF
the signatures of the voter made on registration
and election days shall be permitted to all oil
the watchers, and the right TO challenge the
voter shall exist until the ballot shall have peen
deposited in the ballot box.
Then follow proposed rigid requirements for
keepers of lodging houses and apartments which
usually harbor foaters.
Continuing, the report says:
Your committee recommend that the size Of the, the
election district be reduced by 100 from that now
required. SO that instead of 500 the same saall De
400 The necessity for more adequate ldeiltiIcdloh
obviously necessary TO attend to the same
more carefully ana 10 consume IhoIe 'iIl0 HI 80
II Is hoped that eventually the penalties coming
from the convictions may be paid to an association
which may be formed by public spirited citZens
to insist upon the carrying out of the laws 10 pro-
tect the ballot that these penalties may go TO
fines now given TO the Anti Policy SOcietl, which
has succeeded in stamping out the game OF policy.
1t appears to be evident that the best way to Sc
cure the enforcement of any needed law is TO have
unofficial association watch the administration
thereof.
district should be enabled place deputy in each
election district where fraud is known to occur,
election district and be personally present on reg
istration and Election days. and recommend
office of superintendent the metropolitan cleo
tons district enable said office TO adequately per-
form its duties
The report was referred to the executive COM
mittee for special hearing before the next
meeting of the county committee.
James Yereance asked by what authority the
trainers of the report asserted that thirty thou
sand fraudulent votes cast year by year.
He said that if the charge could not be proved
it a most unfortunate thing to say. Mr..
Finch stoutly defended his report. saying that
the committee had understated the facts, and
could satisfy Mr. Yereance privately that every
thing contained in the report true. john
ing that in one year, when McCullagh was
State Superintendent of Elections, at least
thirty-five thousand crooked votes were cast
Mr. Hammond, reporting for the committee on
financial legislation asked that the committees
printed report be referred back to the committee
for amendment. 1t is understood that the in
PRODUCTION of the AldriCh bill has prompted
changes in the report