The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-01-23
VOTING MACHINE
PROVES POPULAR
Committee on Elections interest
ed in Demonstration of To-
peka Voting Machine.
EWING IS PLEASED.
Member of Committee From
Pawnee Believes the Voting
Machine Bill Should Pass.

1t begins to look like the passage o.
bill through this legislature legaliz-
ing the use of voting machines in Kan
sas If the attitude of the members of
the committee on elections is any cri-
teriOn. At a meeting of the commit
tee held Friday afternoon in Justice
Mason's office the members became
very much interested in the election
register manufactured BY the National
Election Register company of To-
peka, which was demonstrated by
Chas. W. Hull, the manager of the
company. Mr.. Hull talked for fully
an hour explaining the mechanism of
the machine and answering questions
or the interested legislators. 1t seemed
to~De the consensus of opinion that the
use of the election machine was both
time and money saver and that the
company had safeguarded every posi-
bic mistake on the part of the voter.
or Wilfun or malicious error on the
part of the public officers.
The bill now before the house as
presented by Stone of Shawnee sim
ply legalizes the use of a voting ma
chine in Kansas. 1t is of no especial
benefit to any voting machine COM
pany, but it throws safeguard around
the counties and cities who buy the
machines and provides for the full
economy for their use.
Representative Ewing of Pawnee
county, a member of the committee,
was very much interested in the dem
onstration of the machine and later
said:
There is no question as to the value
of the voting machine. l am for the
passage of a bill legaliZing its use in
Kansas. The machines are in use in
eastern states and l understand that
they are a great success, in fact they
wouldn't be dispensed with. This bill
does not require the use of any par
ticular machine and gives every ma
chine company an equal advantage.
However, l can not Sc how they can
improve the machine demonstrated at
the meeting today. 1t is wonderful
invention"
Bank Commissioner DolIey, who was
also present and saw the machine dem
onstated, said: 81 think the voting ma
chine is in the political world to stay.
They are absolutely accurate, prevent
fraud, and not SO costly thai the coun-
ties and townships cannot use them
have Investigated the different ma
chimes now on the market and am GER
tain that the Kansas machine manu-
featured in Topeka is by ia the most
perfect machine on the market and 1
am proud to know that our Kansas
fellows have beat the world as far as
voting machines are concerned
Mayor Billiard. who had intended to
attend the meeting of the committee
on election but could not on account
of important business, is an enthusiast
tic supporter of the voting machine,
believing it to be a great Improvement
over the old ballot system. He is
strongly in favor of the passage of the
bill in order that the city of Topeka
may reap the benefits and thereby
save money by reducing the number of
the election board from five to three
members and also do away with the
regular heavy expense of printing the
ballots.
George Badders, secretary of the
Commerciay club. attended the meet
ing and when interviewed by a Jour-
nal reporter concerning the merits of
the voting machine, he said: when
l lived in Denver the great value of
the voting machine was demonstrated
to me. The machines were being used
in that city. 1t proved to be a won
derful money saver and the final re-
turns were known in short time after
the polls closed. However, there is no
comparison between the Topeka ma
chine and the one in use in Denver,
Mr.. Hulls machine seems to me to be
superior in every way"
1t is easy to figure how the saving
is effected. Instead of printing thous-
ands of paper ballots. all voters vote
by a single ballot for each precinct.
Fewer election officers are required
and ballot clerks are unnecessary.
When the voting is finished the count
ing is finished and the cost of count
ing is entirely saved. The yearly ex-
penSe OI repairing and renewing
wooden booths, ballot boxes, guard
rails, etc, is saved. Thousands of dol
lars have been saved in eastern cities
by reason of eliminating election con-
tests. recounts and consequent special
elections.
Buffalo. n. Y, has saved an average
of $4,000 per year for the past nine
years or total of $126,0OO, a yearly
return. on investment per year of 81
per cent: Milwaukee, Wis. saved
$4,000 in five years and a number
of other instances can be quoted and
proved where the savings have beer
immense in a few years time.
The National Election Register com.
pany has a machine on exhibition a.
the Midwinter this week. Mr.. Hull /:
in charge of the demonstrating O.
voting register.
P. c. Chamberlain is promoting the
Incorporating of the new company
A limited amount of stock is beins
placed on the market. When this /,
disposed of forty additional men will
be put at work in the factory