The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-08-19

supreme act of self rule should be
performed In manner haphazzard and
in places unfit? asks Louis H. Pink,
member OF the New York bar In a
Survey Press Bureau article.
The surroundings of church of all
creeds and denominations are digni-
fed and quiet, usually beautiful. Often
the architecture Is imposing. The
chambers of legislative and judicial
bodies the world over, are in keeping
with the important functions there
exercised.
How different the polling places,
where the destiny Of party. of city.
state, and nation is determined. In
New York city the polls are usually in
small cigar stores or barber shops Sc
lected without regard to their fitness
for the purpose or the convenience of
the voters.
Each year $125,000 Is spent for the
rental of these places, much of which
could be saved If it were not for pat
ronage. In all sections Of the city are
public schools. libraries, courthouses,
municipal office buildings. department
headquarters, and other structures
owned by the public; why not use
them for the most sacred of all pub
lie functions?
1t In important that voting be con-
Quoted amidst dignified surroundings,
free from the shadow Of the control OF
the district political leader and his
followers. A place we'll lighted, prop
erly ventilated. and sufficiently spa
cious is essential There are but few
neighborhoods where dishonesty and
trickery at the polls still obtain. But
so long as even the possibility of COR
ruption and of the misconduct OF
election officials exists, opportunity
fow Rraud must be minimized. Honesty
musasbe made easy. not hard. Fraud
trickery, undue influence. which might
easily be possible In place crowded
dark, out OF the way, would &c moss
difficult in q public building such as a
chool or a library. Election officials
and the police would be placed upon
their good behavior.
Loud mouth officials, browbeating
and bullying voters; the hustling In
OF men to vote on other names In the
crowd and confusion; the lining up OF
repeaters and men falsely registered
from lodging houses; the unfair domi-
nation of the primaries by the faction
in power-aH these would thrive with
difficulty in q building consecrated to
the service Of the people.
In q recent report to Mayor Gaynor
by Raymond Fosdick. commissioner 81
accounts, the present method OF Sc
lecting polling places Is scored. "The
election law" says the commissioner
provides that the board OF elections
shall designate the polling places fol
party primaries, for registration. and
for general elections. BY o custom
long established, this function has vir-
tually been abdicated In favor or The
party organizations, and the selection
OF polling places has become a sourct
of patronage for district captains. Ac'
1 cording to the method now In force
| the republicans are allowed to desig'
| nate the polling places In the odd
| numbered districts. Aside from SUI
perficial examination by the police a.
to the size OF the polling places thu!
chosen. no check on the designations q
| the political parties 10 exercised by thu
| board of elections. The adequacy ant
| shape OF the room, the question q
ventilation, the location Of the poll Ii
the election district-in short, the con
sideration of the comfort and CON
| venience of the voters themselves ap
| pear to be left by the election officialI
/ without investigation, to the repre-
sentatives Of the two dominant po
llitical parties"
Commissioner Fosdick's investiga
ton showed that In several Instance
the room where the booths were places
| was SO small that watchers had Z
i remain outside the guard rail wher
they could not properly perform thei
| work. Conditions in the Second as
1 sernbly district of Brooklyn We're es
/ pecially deplorable. the polling place
being small. unsuited for the purpose
4 and inconveniently located.
The United Neighborhood guild,
social settlement located in this dis
Il trfct has offered to the board OF cleo
| tions the use of it's buildings as poll
| ing places free Of charge, and at tn
same time mas petitioned that tn
schools. libraries and other publ
buildings in the district be used. .
that q trial may be had. with the oh
iect OF extending the use OF publ
buildings to other parts Of the cit
i should the experiment prove success
il full.
/ Not only the selection Of the pollin
i places. but the entire election naachsn
| cry Il out OF gear Election official
should not be camp followers Of IN
| district leader but experts IN thei
line.
Il The law requires the board Of cleo
4 tiong To hold an examination for can
didates for inspectors. poll clerks, an
ballot clerks, both as to their know
ledge of the English language and (
the provisions Of the election law. Las
Il year It went through the form Of hold
II ing IAN examination, but little intelli
n gence was required to pass, as I'll
candidates were permitted to convers
openly and written lists Of answer
were given out ID the candidates, TT
answers ia all Of the papers we1
Identical New blood has been infuse
into the board by Mayor Gaynor an
II q repition Of this farce Ii unlikely.
Il 1t Ii the idea Of Commissioners Eos
II dick that business men, bankers. an
law clerks should be chosen fog ales