The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1912-05-06

Gascoyne Advance: There appears
to be some misunderstanding among the
voters with regard to the law requir-
! ing assessors to register voters as to
| particular party. Some think it is a
blow at the secret ballot, some that it
| is a scheme of political machine to
tie the hands of the voter, while 9TH
ers feel that it is unfair to the voter
| who is liable to change his mind.
The Advance believes the intent of
the new law is good. 1t is not aimed
at the secret ballot as the voter must
call for a republican or democratic
ballot when he enters the polling place
on election day to vote. 1t is not a
scheme of the politician, but rather
intended to beat the tricks" Of the
| politician by keeping each man by his
own party and making honest nomina-
tions. Under the old law there were
many who had the habit OF helping in
| nominations of one party, and voting
directly against that party at the fall
| election.
+ True it is a man may change his
mind in two months time as to which
| ballot he may want to vote, and this
really is the bad feature of the law
that he cannot change his mind and
| take the other ballot.
The law does not apply to fall elec~
tions, only to the primary. In the
primary it is party affair: in the fall
as before it is free will expression by
the voter.
The voter is mistaken when he
thinks it is bound and gag" law.
1t is honest in it's intent, and the voter
should register as the assessor requires
| to avoid trouble when the primary
rolls around.
If he intends to call for republican
ballot, he should register as a repub-
lican; If he intends to call for a defn-
ocrat ballot, register as democrat
The socialists, as we understand, car
not vote under their party designation
as there are not enough votes cast in
the state to enable them to party des-
ignation.
The Independent voter can decide
now which ballot he wants to call fol
in June. In November the inde-
pendent will have as free scope, al
heretofore.
. e
Grand Forks Times "The mountain
Ilabored and brought forth a mouse
This classic could we'll be applied tt
fthe result of the efforts Of the stats
legal department. to have the law re.
quiring the registration of voters b.
party affiliations declared unctnstitu
tional. Some time ago the attorne.
} general issued an opinion in which m
: held the law invalid. The opinion wa
3 | SO flimsy both in its law and it's logi'
1 that the laymen could pick it int
shreds. But the laws of the state CAV,
lit controlling merit until the opinion
: was set aside by the properly consti
tuted tribunal.
A test case under the law was pre-
9 pared and taken to the supreme court
: This procedure was commendable AM
proper, since judicial i1terpretatioi
has become so much practical par
!. Eof legislation along new lines. Th
! court held the law constitutional ex
cept as to the immaterial clause. i
I was proper that the case be cared 20
BY the attorney general before tn
court and that all the enlightenment
4 was possible to give the e0urt be Of
l fere6. The decision Of the cour
should have been final. But by a rap
idly increasing practice in this STATE
! a petition for rehearing OF the case wa
filed. asking the court to set aside 1t
former decision and see il another on
il could not be obtained.
j, A few days ago the court refuse
d to grant the petition for rehearint
: as asked for by the attorney general an
# the case is closed. The law stand
t and the assessors who have stoppe
the registration work every time til