The weekly Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1911-1922, 1911-11-30

1 y -
norant and unpractised voter can
quickly learn to operate it. 1t re-
quires less intelligence than is meces-
sary properly to prepare ballot the
old way
Fifth-They are accurate. Their
mechanism is on the same principle,
though much less complicated. as
the adding machine. whose results
daily pass unquestioned in the larg-
est business transactions. This
mechanical accuracy insures that
every man : vote will he counted as
east.
SiNth-They give prompt results.
Complete results of each precinct
are registered at the close Of the
polls. and are available for the
public in from ten to twenty min
utes. This leaves very little OPP
portunity fer the manipulations of
crooked election board.
Seventl-They guard against
fraud. There seems To be ample
safeguard against fraudulent man.
ipulation cf the machine. When
properly adjusted ut the opening of
the polls there seems To be no wav
of interfering with its operations.
Eighth-They prevent mistakes.
No voter can leave the booth with
-
voted. Under the old way there are
hundIo * of votes In the county not
counted at each election on account
of some slight mistake or accident
in marking the ballot properly: or
perhaps Is counted for but one man
on the ticket. because Of the COM
mon error in marking the ballot
opposite the first name only when
the voter intended 10 vCte straight
ticket TIE vote for one man only
requires that the voter exercise
spe ,ial mental effort to do so. and
it can not be the result of a mistake
or ignorance.
\inth--They guarantee secrecy
There is no possibility of determin-
inc how man has voted. as no
visible evidence remains. This OPP
crates against the corrupt and dis
honest voter.
Tcnth-They avoid contests. When
polls are closed, there remain no
disputed ballots. which have ALWAYS
been source of much contention:
neither are there errors In tOOtings
which require notification. and as
there Is much less opportunity for
the practice of fraud in all its vari-
ous forms under the old method.
the causes for contests are removed.
saving the contestants and the coun-
ty much money.
With these facts determined. it
was clear that the voting machine
had great advantages over the old
method of voting. The whole ques-
ton. therefore. resolved itself into
whether or not il was a good bust
ness proposition to buy them at this
time The cost of the machines and
the terms of payment would deter
mine that
DR.. Davis stated that his COM
pany land he had no doubt that
other companies would do the same)
were making this proposition. that
they would sell the machines on pag
mcnts. and that these payments
could be so arranged that they would
be no larger than the saving made
at each election over the old method
This arrangement would not require
raise in the tax levk. the same APP
preparation taking care eff the
election and the payment on the
machines. The cost Of the machines
Is seven hundred dollars each with
) per cent interest on the deferred
payments.
After due deliberation. the board
of directors unanimously agreed that
the following resolution be recon-
mended to the club for its considera
ton and adoption:
Whereas. the Board of County
Commissioners of WAYNE county has
requested the opinion of the Com
merciaI Club as to the advisability
of the county buying voting ma
chimes. and whether it could buy
them now. your board unanimously
agreed. after due deliberation, that
it was desirable to have voting ma
chimes and that the county should
buy them now: therefore be it
Resolved. that the Richmond Com
mere;al Club recommend to the coun
~ commissioners that they make
requisition on the county council for
the necessary appropriation to sup
ply the county with voting machines
in time for use at the next general
election in 1910