Los Angeles herald., 1910-04-05
FRAUD CHARGED
IN REGISTRATION
Clerks Permit Many Electors to
Violate New State Primary
Election Law
VOTERS ARE DISQUALIFIED
DeCeptionS Practiced in ProCur-
ing Signatures to Petitions
of Nomination
VOTERS ARE DISQUALIFIED

Sensational disclosures, involving
charges Of registration fraud, were
made at the headquarters of the Good
Government organization yesterday as
a result of which warnings probably
will be sent to all Good Government
and Lincoln Roosevelt league members
to be extremely careful to state their
party affiliations as democratic ;" RE
publican" Socialist" etc, when they
register and not inform the reg
istration clerks that they are Good
Government" or Lincoln Roosevelt
adherents.
Either through gross ignorance or
with the deliberate intention, inspired
by the machine push" of taking ad-
vantage of the lack OF knowledge Of
many voters concerning the primary
election laws, 1t Is estimated that fully
30 per cent Of the voters so far regis
tered have been allowed to register
without stating their party affiliations
or have been registered as "Good Gov
ernment" or Lincoln Roosevelt" mem
bers, in either event disqualifying
themselves for the primary election.
The primary election laws take no
cognizance of party factions and
voter must register as a Republican,
Democrat, Socialist or Prohibitionist If
he would take part in the primary
nominations.
1t is charged by the political watch
dogs who are active in preventing
election frauds that a number of the
deputy registration clerks are blandly
permitting scores of voters to state
their affiliations as Lincoln Roose-
welt" and Good Government" while
many other voters, not anxious to make
public their affiliations, are encouraged
% h. -. 60
which they belong In the event that 1t
is suspected they favor either Of the
factions mentioned. II the voter re-
fuses to state his affiliations or If he
states he belongs to some faction and
is so registered, he will be disquali-
fed to vote at the primaries.
PRIMARY A PARTISAN AFFAIR 800.
The primary election, 1t is explained,
is distinctly a partisan affair. The
Lincoln Roosevelt league is a faction
of the Republican party and its diff
ferences are within the party. There
fore to vote at the Republican prim-
aries II Is necessary for the voter to be
registered as a Republican. When he
receives his ballot he can, If he chooses,
vote for any factional candidate placed
by petition on his ticket. The same
rule applies to other party members.
1t is charged, however, that a num-
ber of the registration clerks fail to
inform the voters of this fact, and
where 1t is suspected they are not
favorable to the machine" it is de-
clared the voters are signed up as be-
ing affiliated with a faction instead
with the regular party, and allowed to
go away thinking they are properly
registered, when 1t should be known by
these clerks that such registration dis
qualities them. On the other hand, it
is even charged that frequently the
voters are encouraged to withhold their
affiliations. if it is believed they are
opposed to the machine"
In San Francisco at the last election
less than 4 per cent of the registered
voters were disqualified. while from
facts and figures gathered in Los An
geles in the last week it is estimated
that more than 80 per cent will be dis
qualified, and as most of these repre-
sent Good Gogernment and Lincoln
Roosevelt league votes it is declared
to be extremely important that some
thing be done to Illustrate the inroads
thus on the total vote of the organiza-
tions represented.
Many voters, 1t is said, who are not
familiar with the primary election and
registration laws and who are proud |
of their connection with certain 're- |
form" organizations, unhesitatingly |
tration clerks that they belong to |
these factions. Immediately after a
citizen has been so recorded on the |
register a mark is drawn through his |
name and he becomes disqualified
CLERKS ARE AT FAULT
The question asked by those now |
interested in calling attention to this
practice is, Can these deputy regis |
tration clerks be compelled to inform |
each and every voter that his failure !
to state his affiliations, or that his
as a fractional adherent,"
will disqualify him?
Again, in the case of those who have
registered, can the error not
be brought to their attention and their
names and party Affiliations again en-
tered on the great register?
Many also are asking themselves if
the fine hand of the machine is not
again at work in the registration. Why
are voters permitted to register with
out stating their affiliations? Why are
deputy clerks are not compelled to en-
tighten voters as to this important
point Of the law?
At present the only solution of the
matter seems to lie with the inter-
ests mostly wronged by the cunning,
or lack of knowledge, of the registra-
ton clerks who are guilty of accepting
the reSlSIrdllOHS IIleIllOueu. IHe DSSl
remedy, as suggested by political lead
ers yesterday, is for the Good Gov
ernment organization and Lincoln
Roosevelt league to warn voters against
invalid registration and begin a cam
paign of educating all the voters as to
the registration and primary election
laws.
OTHER DECEPTIONS PRACTICED s
Following the disclosures relative to
his method of registration, there was
much agitation yesterday concerning
discoveries of deceptions practiced on
yoters of Los Angeles in procuring sig
to nominating petitions,
brought to the attention of Thomas l..
former deputy prosecuting
attorney.
The disclosures last week were con-
ined to the registration on Spring (
street, between Third and Fourth
streets, but it was reported yesterday
hat voters were hoodwinked into sign
ng petitions under the pretense that
hey were signing registration papers.
This, it is charged. was done at the