The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-13
Give the EleCtOr a Chance.

For years It has been the custom Of
many respectable residents Of New York
and other thickly populated counties
to maintain within them homes IN
which they lived with their families,
and voting residences distant there.
from. These honest men have followed
this practice to keep up old political
associations, to help their friends in
their canvasses. to win the good will
Of the politicians OF the districts in
which their businesses were situated,
or for any Of a dozen reasons
The legality Of this proceeding was
not seriously questioned until last fall,
when II business man who dwelt with
his faInily on Mornlngside Heights reg
lstered In the Second Assembly district.
was arrested, charged with false regis.
trntion. and held for trial That the
practice has opened the door for abuses.
as In the colonization of fioaters. will
not he denied. yet It has also served to
accommodate many innocent and re-
spectacle citizens whose political in
terests lay where they did their work,
rather than where they rested from
their labors
The Voters League has now directed
attention to provision Of the election
law passed last year which. In the fol-
lowing terms, would legalize such reg.
istrations
Tho term resident means a person
who has a domicile. dwelling, home or
abode or any place Of stay from which
no intends to vote: but this provision
shall not be taken to mean that a person
may register for or vote at n given cleo
ton more than once"
The league believes that this pro-
vision would result In great evils. and
should be repealed. 1t declares that:
Finder this statute 100. 900 residents
of Buffalo could state that they intend to
vote from n place Of stay IN the city OF
New York and could legally do so. II
they each made an arrangement by which
"A room In some fiat were rented to them
for ten cents a year, they could claim TO
have an abode or place OF stay within
New York city
Because Of this possibility the league
urges the repeal Of the definition Of
resident included in the statute. and
Governor GLYNS has promised TO study
the subject carefully. Our aid has
been asked In behalf Of tho repeater.
Our opinion is that the matter is of
mighty little Importance. II few
hundred or few thousand citizens
otherwise qualified to vote choose to
cast their ballots outside the districts
where their homes are. what serious
harm will result from their acts? They
may, indeed. unhorse one leader and
set up another; Of what consequence
| is that?
The whole tendency of legislation
affecting the exercise Of the suffrage
has been To make the process Of regis
tcring and voting difficult. The theory
seems to have been that any enactment
that would keep votes ont Of the box
was laudable. Already the plight of
| the illiterate or near illiterate. TO whom
| the right to vote Is given by the Con-
stitution, Is a sorry one; the unfor-
tunate or restless man who from ne
cessity or choice changes his residence
frequently Is badgered and bounded
the inquiSitorial duties Of election oiii.
GERS have reached high water mark
Would not the State endure II the
whole statute were simplified, the ma
/ -, al, lok %.
honest electorate. rather than legisla
tive enactment, depended on for virtue
| at the polls?