The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-05-24
Wayne County Delegation to
Indianapolis Thinks the
Modern Method of Voting Is
The Ideal One.
Last Election Proved That
Voting Machine Saved
Many Votes From BEING
Thrown Out as Bad.
tstam cerre.pondsnt.,

(StaF cerrespondsnt.)
It is practically certain that at the
next election held In Wayne county.
voting machines will be used. The
county commissioners and county
council visited Indianapolis Saturday
and such flattering comment ON the
use OF machines was made that the
Wayne county officials now believe :.
their use to be not onIy practical. but
feasible. And the good regards enter
tained for the machines are not the
result altogether of what Marion coun-
tvs office holders said. either. The
councilmen and commissioners made
outside investigation. They talked to
the voters themselves. unknown to the
representative of the voting machine
company and the voters say with a
practical unanimity that the machines
are just the thing and . great aid In
the voter.
Are Money Makers.
There are voting machines and vot-
ing machines. but the ones In which
the local officials were interested Sat
urday are Of the same pattern that 10
used In Marion county. That county
has purchased 40 machines and be-
lieves the money we'll spent. The
county makes money off Of them. too.
The entire county helps pay, for the
machines, but the county commission
ers regard them solely n county prop
erty. and when the city wants to use
them for party primary elections the
city has to pay = rental. They are
rented. also, to the large Indianapolis
clubs and fraternal societies n election
time.
The county officials visited Indian
apolis upon the Invitation Of James n.
Davis. travelling representative Of the
U. s. Standard Voting Machine COM
pany. In extending his Invitation
two weeks ago. Mr.. Davis gave coun-
Gil to understand thoroughly the trip
to Indianapolis was not to be in the
nature Of undue influence In behalf
OF his machines He told council he
wanted It understood the county will
not be bound in any way n the result
OF the visit and may prchase or refuse
machines as 10 seen flt. He did say.
however, that he believed II the off,
cials would talk with men VINO have
had experience with machines they
probably would be led to eco the ad-
vantage Of their use. It was IN this
spirit that council and commissioners
accepted the invitation and became the
guests of Mr.. Davis.
Some sssepeIeal.
Some members Of the two bodies
were skepical. They had heard II
said voting machines can be manipu-
lated in TIE interest Of any one candi.
Gate. They had heard that the ma
chimes prevent the voter fron splitting
his ticket or casting 4 "free will' vote.
because he was afraid Of making mis-
take in the operation Of the machine.
They had been told the machines were
hot reliable.
Ali of these allegations were dis
proved by the reports Of the Marion
county officials. They spr,Se only Of
the machines used In that county.
y which Is the same as Mr.. Davis hopes
to introduce in Wayne At the last
general election. there were more vot-
ers to scratch their tickets than ever
before In the history Of the county.
Watson lost 10000 republican votes-
The Marion county ticket was split as
It never had been. Men were picked
from the republican ticket and elected
while others were taken from the DEM
ccratic ticket and elected. Al the ~
cult the county now has and will CON-
tinue to have representatives 0f both
parties in Office and the old party 20
litical rings such N have controlled the
county. are dissolved. The election
returns were received much more rap
idly than ever before and the machines
were verified by the count with The exc
ception Of only . few inStanooo Tor
which self-explanatory causss vsre
found.
Prove DIG oaviee.
The use Of the voting uneAine hA0
been q saving Of 50 per cent in Marion
county. The electioa expeasso have
been reduced something Ike oee-hal1.
The number Of precincts has been eut
down. Precincts I'm which formerly
800 votes were cast. now are combined
20 that GOO votes are cast and all With
In the required time. Honest elec-
tions are assured, noreover. and the
Aaneers of the old time marked ballot
are abolished.
The machines decide m eoatests-
Every vote II recorded exactly - re-
turned. They are remarkable for theR
unerring exActness. In Marion cuunfy
they are universally approved By the
s,,lsSe AZ first there Was 49, enUn.