The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1908-06-27
To Insure Fair EIeetious.

/ The Fair Election League, a non.
| partisan organization recently formed
in this state for a purpose clearly in,
dicated by its title-the making oil
elections in Louisiana absolutely fair
and honest--has submitted to the gen
eral assembly memorial prepared
by the legislative committee of tie
league, setting forth the changes in
the registration, primary and election
laws which are considered advisable
and necessary in order to render those
statutes etficacious in securing reforms
demanded by all honest and right.
minded citizens of Louisiana, ire
spective of party.
We borrow from the Times Demo
GRAFT the appended summary Of the re.
forms asked for in the Fair Election
leagues memorial:
/. The poll tax as at present required should be
left unchanged. but the addresses as well as
names seould be published and the names
written INTO thereceipts should be rendered
inerasable.
2. The registration rolls should be published
long enough before elections to permit of their
being canVassed-say thirty days.
8. That copy of the returns from each pre-
clnct should be filed with the clerk OF the dis
trict court as public document.
4. That on reasonable charges of fraud or
irregularity the district court shall have the bal
lot box OF the questioned precinct opened and
counted IN open court and the returns amended
In keeping with the count so made.
5. That oticeholders and their employees be
disqualified as election officers.
s. That each political party faction and indie
pendent candidate on the official ballot be en-
titled to one election officer at every poll al
which they are to be voted for.
z. That election officers should be selected on
the suggestion OF the parties at interest by the
Judges OF the district court and be commissioned
by them. The judges having the right to reject
any suggestions and call for others from the
party or candidate making the rejected sugges-
ton Election officers from the ward in which
the poll is situated should be eligible to conine
the cholce to the precinct is to restrict choice
too closely.
s. That the Australian ballot now provided for
by the primary law should be provided in the
general law also.
9. That voters must place their own signatures
on the poll list before voting.
10. That the primary and general election laws
should be identical, save for the necessary diver
gencies.
Il. That only physical disability should entitle
a voter TO assistance in marking his ballot, and
That tins physical disability should be sworn to
before the election officers, tSee general cleo
ton law, section 76.l
-
latare to defeat the declaration of party aifilia
ton at the time of registration.
The Times Democrat says: tThe |
present legislature received distinct
and emphatic instructions in the re-
cent primary to SO amend and i'm.
prove our election laws as to prevent
the scandals which have discredited |
the state and in some instances multi
fed the will of the voters. The
Fair Election League was organized
10 nj long felt want-the organiza-
ton of body looking after the in /
terests of the people in the matter of
elections. It will do all it can to
bring about this result, and will be T
able to accomplish a great deal Of
good even under faulty statutes: but it
IS trying to do still more, to assure us
a good, practical working law, and
here should be little trouble about
his in view of the fact that the obiec-
,ionable features of our present system
we're made manifest in the recent
and election. Knowing what
'hese flaws and defects are, there
should be little difficulty in curing
hem. =
The Cordill bill is Locked in the
'radle of the Deep and the Locke bill
oeks the stable door against the gam
,lers, touts and other unsavorv char
leters who have degraded the ,ssport
# kings to the level of a scheme for
and debauching its deYo-
ses.