New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-03-20
ELECTION Law Up
PL.fNS TO AMEND TT.
State let Strangely Linked
sath Cannon s Fortunes.

State let Strangely Linked
scih Cannon Fortunes.
IN nien ~ the fat that Speaker cannon
might have uses "a considerable advantage
some Democratic votes in the agbt ,bs,
has been made against him by The insur-
gents in Congress. a. IL interesting IA mote
that amendments 20 the election law az
-ris state. which. 4 was charged ng,,-es Al
Jhe victory ~ the Speaker when ne re-
tanned the cannon rules "a the teorganiza-
tien - Congress have again been intro
du,ed in the Legislature. la the last .Is,.-
ZION Congressman Parsons. AS president of
the New York '0unts Republican Commit
toe. charged ihaf the defeat 81 these amend
mcnts in the last session OF the Leg.sisture
Vas Que o. "cta'" between upstate Re
publican leaders and Tammann EaH. "A here
ay The votes or ramuiany members 81 CON
sress were sNuns % the seaport - Speaker
cannon.
Carrying ouJ the work beEun ia con
gresham Parsons n hen De- vas head OF The
iocal Organization here. Love e.. Grisoorn
ms s-cu-ssor Mil make d determined fight
o. secure The passage 81 tie amendments
fhis year They are intended a. supple
ment ana make more effective the sigma
tUre and household laws and make more
diftcuh the prosecution OF the Tammany
Industry ~ casting fraudulent votes n
elections here
TIE sisnat-re iaN provides tat voters
must sign their names both Al tie time OF
REGISTRATION and when they cast their bal
lots. The househoider law provides that
nousefoiders and the lessees - apartments
must furnish sn tne demand % the super
Iutendent ~ Elections the names OF all
pei sons calming q voting residence from
thclr premises. Both were passel IN the
s4fits ~ ists. = being alleged m their sup
port th1t rammany regularly cast some
Thirty thousand fraudulent votes IL each
election pa Aew YORK County.
4 Proposed Election Law Amendments.
The proposed amendments which IL Is
confidently holed WEG ~ through ar this
session ~ the LEGISLATURE arc as follows.
2 l,equ!ring me inspectors 80 election 70
make comparisons - the signatures mace
oa election day WIKI those on the regisira-
ion books and 20 certify LAT this has
been dome.
. Requiring an applicant for registration
who has not registerea al The election i'm
mediately preceding 10 Eite lis occupation
and The name of his employer. or. II unem-
Tioyed. the name and address 81 MS last
employer.
g. Requiring those Who are challenges
fur the rrst time on election day 10 give
The same personal Information a. they gave
Nhtu tne5 registered.
q Providing thar the number 81 voters ia
any one election district shall not exceed
syo Where's IN is n5N 81 and often runs
up % Csc
g. Providing that the provisions % the
signature Law be extended 70 primary cleo
lions
In spite 81 the fact that tire signature
laa made many Wolld-be reporters um-d.
"a careful investigation q The registration
~ -sls showed that in many districts the
Ira ldulent vote stiI rsl between once ghth
and one-qusrt,r 80 TIE actual vote regis
tered Il was observed that there vas a
failure On the part Of the inspectors 20
compare the signature made on Election
DAY with that made on registration dag.
THIS Was because II vas not made the den
mite business of any special member o. The
board II inspectors 10 insist upon such
comparison.
TIE proposed amendment compels one OF
the inspectors. who is To he chosen by lot
10 put his initials I'm a column following the
signature On Election Day by way ~ cert
fying that he has compared IL with the
signature made on registration day. ana
that. in his opinion, n Is made by the same
person without such scrutiny IL has some
times happened mat fraudulent voter has
Eiven one name when b. asked for his bal
l0t. and then signed.another in the book
The proposed amendment requiring the
woula-be voter 10 give The name % his
present or last employer il is believed vi.
rho signature laW Nert INTO effect II mas
been the practice % repesters 20 say THAI
TIE last time they voted was in lsF. tho
yea- before the passage - the law. so that
no comparison with previous signatures
could be- made Under the proposed amend
meur IN would be necessary for those en-
-aced m fraud 10 rsa-fact IRE occupations
and addresses Of employers. as well as resi-
deuces II Is ais, easier 10 ascertain the
truth ~ falslry ~ employment than h. is 81
residence.
A further deterrent would be a Law max
ing be- necessary f0r the voter when chal-
lenged 10 give the same personal inforna
tion that ne gave when he registered Tn
der she present IaW a man Ehen challenged
only has ~ hold lp his hand and swear
thar be- has a right 10 vote To give the
various Information required for reglstra-
tior would 10 an easv task FOR bona fce
voter bar would b, no small task for the
reneater as ne would run the risk Of max
ing some mistake in repesing a lot % fake
information.
To prevent the proper scrutiny uf each
man "a Do presents himself 20 vote the pro-
C.r-r- II fraudulent votes fr1 % crea -
as much haste and conf lsion ar pos>icie
u b. easy Ter them 10 DO This when the
r- 71fer ~ voters iu an election district u
49, ls-E- that if necOues necessary 90 cas-
the vote a. rate spproNina ting one 4
minute To ohViafe such pressIre or m
election facilities 81 y easy 70 see that
contain. more than 40 Eoters would oe az
, important factor.
A. n las often been charged thai 20
heaters and nOu-resicerrs ~ the distric,
have been ruughr iu D. noilF contested
. Urinary fights b. i~ sought 10 MAKE y
r.rf-a Il ,Trr.flf hv extending fhe DrOFlSloni
80 fra siauatLIe law % lfrirlarf elections
Suea kiug ~ these proposed amendments
President CfriErou ~ tie county commute
said resroroay a..
-,.rste,s- mon tie legitimate vofer Al
No. heau seen every bona TIDE voter
--rffrs- a. fako the necessary inronVenienf :
...s rro,5hie fo nrpNefrf his vote from beins
wasted iv mere TICK
-As if- import anre he' ONES c-fafef hil'
- l.l....~er no subject A. 80 dear 10 me neari
- rle America people lean - Tot
r,-s.S "a elections and prlrnarlcs has p
-be mast been srniIingly tolerated Puhli
,,t-,ior mas been slow % perceive that
frssduleut vote a. continual assault 81
rre very vitals ~ government
80