The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-11-06
RICHMONOvOTERS
DISPLAY INTEREST

with Fine Weather, Citizens
! Study Ballots and Vote
Leisurely.
Weather conditions In Richmond
| wers conducive to 4 big vote In the
city yesterday, and helped to bring
! out the citizens even on an occasion
when there was no issue to be set
tied directly by anything the people
could do. except as to the amendments
to the Constitution. II became evil
dent early in the day that without
any very strenuous work at the polls.
excepting In behalf Of the city treas
urers' amendment. q large vote would
be polled.
| all parties combined would cast any.
thing like the vote polled by the
Democrats alone in the primary OF
September 10 OF this year. when nvs
candidates for the Administrative
Board were nominated and the high
water mark in number OF suhragans
under the new Constitution was
| reached.
Marked Tickets Everywhere.
Every spot about the polls found
convenient in marking ballots was
| used. Voters. fof the most part. took
| much time in ascertainlng the con-
tents OF tho tickets and in being sure
that they registered their choice.
The fact that three ballots were
handed each voter meant more time
| used. for they were read carefully.
The result was that at most OF the
precincts all the available booths
were occupied a large part OF the
time.
At the Second Precinct OF Madison
Ward. on Seventh Street, between
Grace and Franklin. the three booths
were kept full. Then the show win
dows were brought into play. Often
seven voters would be busy At once
three In the booths on the curbstones
/ and two on the outside Of each win
dow. In this way all voters were CIV
en- the time they needed. while many
were handled at once
| Jerry Morano's confectionery store
| At Madison and Broad Streets pre-
sented a scene of activity. sunrasans
marked their ticAets In the booths.
! on the counters. At the soda fountain.
the convenience Of absorbers Of soft
drinks.
| Mr.. Draneh Voter Saxty-ons Years.
John p. Branch. president OF the
| Merchants National Bank. celebrated
the sixty second anniversary of his
! voting citizenship by casting his bal
| lot at the Fourth Precinct Of Lee
Ward at 2:40 o'clock. Mr.. Branch
read the tickets carefully. seated at
| a table, and marked them to suit him
self.
The occasion brought to his memory
! many political incidents OF his eigh-
ty-two years OF life. When I was
] only eighteen years old" he said. Il
| kept the polls at voting precinct
There were no tickets then Each
| voter walked to the polls and public
| ly announced his choice Tor the ONCE
| to be filled. and his name was record
ed In my book II election day was
rainy. the polls were kept open for
three days, and / was paid SIS for my
services. at IS the day."
Chose the GlKIs.
| In the Fifth Precinct OF Jefferson
| Ward the voting was lively, but pro-
| ceeded quietly City Sergeant John l.
| Sattsrneld scanned the voters And saw
| to It that the Democrats got tnstruc-
| tons about marking. In fact. At most
precincts the voter received all the
| suggestions he could conveniently use.
| At Fifth Jefferson, Captain John A.
4
| mond and member OF the Legislature.
received the congratulations OF his
| friends on the fact that Captain W. u.
| Myers had selected him to choose which
| OF the chorus girls Of the Happy
| Hoolisan" company should assist 1t the
| Howitzers' entertaInment last night
| Captain Curtis has been voting some
thing like nfty-seven years himself
| Practically no Republican workers
4 80 ~ Onff vY
/ OF the city. Al one or two some Pro-
| Rressives were In evidence, cheering
the faithful who stood at Armageddon.
Socialists were here and there, con-
l cerned In getting out the vote OF their
party.
wssk fer A0es6oesss.
A representative Of those who fav-
ored the amendments to the Constitu-
ton permitting city treasurers and
commissioners OF the revenue 10 sue
coed themselves. was 1t every pre-
cinct. seeing the voters. For the most
part they were friends OF Treasurer
James b. Pace, of Richmond. who de-
sired to see him eligible to succeed
i himself next year. There was NOBODY
at work against these amendments,
and AZ many citizens had no dennite
\ opinion on the subject. the WORK OF the
/ protagonists was quite successful An
| winning votes
4 Negroes were very little In evidence
/ AZ the polls In this city. and few col
|, ored men Registered their choice: Even
among those Of the race quaained 70
| vote. there has teen marked In recent
/ years an increasing indifference 70 the
+, use Of the ballot few saad tnsy
I voted for woodrow wilson
Policemen kept bystanders outssoe
7 ~, a.. a.sd line Of forty feet from the
i In polls