Perth Amboy evening news., 1911-06-02
QUESTIONS FOR EXAMINATION

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eighty-six questions given out by
the civil service board from which
ten questions are to be selected for
the examination. OF course, no one
knows which of the ten questions
will be selected so it is well for all
applicants to be able to answer all
o. them TO be in the safe side.
To glance down the list of ques-
tions it is doubtful If the average
citizen could answer one-half of
them of-handed. In fact several
men of more than ordinary intelli-
gence have declared that. in their
opinion, the questions are pretty
hard. 1t should be remembered,
however, that the men who are to
answer these questions seek posi-
tons which give them charge over
our election, and our right of suf-
frage Ms absolutely in their hands.
While it is true that many men of
average intelligence cannot answer
the questions without doing a little
Investigating, is not this investigat-
ing just what any man ought to do
before he assumes such an important
position as election officer? Every
man in charge of the polls ought to
be posted on the law governing the
election. He ought to know Just
{ what to do in an emergency.
{ The trouble is the position of
; election officer has been handed
out to anyone so long as a reward
} for party service, that because the
I new law requires hat the election
officer must have other qualifications
than mere vote getting it is looked
upon as imposing a hardship. The
examination does not require study.
The applicant is not required to Sc
cure books and prepare himself for
the test. All he has to do is to look
up the law and become informed
as TO the duties he is required to
perform. There is nothing unrea-
sonble in this. Any man no matter
what position he desires to fill,
should become acquainted with the
work to be done.
Take any employment that the
average citizen is engaged In and
get -odt q series of questions con-
corning hat employment. 1t Is
doubtful If any mar Of average In
It~elligence not engaged In that par
%ticular line of work, could answer
all the questions at once. He would
have to do a little investigating and
make a few inquiries. 1t ought not
to be expected, therefore, that ever
man is fully acquainted with the du-
ties of election officer without first
posting himself. 1t is safe to say
that man of the men who have
served as election officers heretofore
have not had the slightest idea OF
what the election law Is. The Gerar
, law is intended to raise the stand
ard of election officers. The men In
charge Of the polls are entrusted
with an important matter and 1t is
with a great deal of s~atifaction that
I we realize hat this veal any Tom,
Dick and Harry will o be allowed
to handle our ballots and count our
votes unless he Is qualified to do so.
The election ought to be much more
intelligently handled than ever be-
fore.
1t might be suggested to the civil
service commission, however, that,
in publishing such a long list of
questions from which only ten are to
be selected for the examination, the
answers be published along with the
questions. 1t often happens hat a
man who might desire to take the
= examination has no way of digging
out the information required. AS
we understand it, the object of the
law is to have as many men as pos
= sible take the examinations and
= have them as we'll posted on the du-
ties of an election officer as possible
By publishing the answer along
with the eighty-six questions, the
n applicant can learn them all correct
= ly and thus be able to readily an,
n swer any ten of them, thus encour
aging men to take the examination!
and assuring good men at the polls