The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-08-01
G. 0.P. FIGHTS
EG|STRAT|ON
DAY IN FALL
Progressives and Democrats
Advocate Extra Session to
List Voters of Wayne
County.
Bowman Believes Heavy Ex-
pense Ought to Deter Par
ties From PetitiOning for
Additional Listing Days.

The Wayne county Republican or
ganization, it was learned today, is
positively opposed to the Endorsement
Of non-partisan plan, advocated by
both the Progressive and Democratic
leaders, to provide an extra day for
registration of voters this fall.
Although the Republicans will un-
doubtedly shout reckless expenditure
Of the peoples money" if any effort is
made to have registration on Sep
tember Z as we'll as October 5, there
Is an excellent prospect that the Pro-
eressive and Democratic organizations
will enter into an arrangement for the
circulation of a petition for the extra
registration day and permit the Repub-
licans to make the most of what politi-
ral capital they can obtain from oppo.
sition to such a plan.
Only One Day.
Under the provisions of the amend
ed registration law the voters only
have one opportunity this year to quail
ify for suffrage by registration, the
date being October 5, unless petition,
signed by at least three hundred free
holders, asking for an extra registra-
is filed before August Is.
Progressives believe that it is abso-
1utely unfair to permit the voters Of
Wayne county only one opportunity
TO qualify by registration, therefore, il
the law permits two periods of regis
tration, full advantage of this privi-
lege should be taken. The fact that
this extra period of registration means
an extra expenditure of at least 1900
out of the county treasury is recog-
nized by the Progressive leaders, but
they are of the opinion that if this ex-
penditure is required to give the vot-
ers of the county the fullest opportun-
ity to qualify themselves, there should
be no haggling over the expense.
Oppose Registration.
Like the Republicans, the Progress
Dives condemn in positive terms the
Registration law as it pertains to ooun
ties Of the population of Wayne, but
they philosophically realize that there
Ia such law on the statute books,
and that it can not be evaded, and that
the only thing to do is to get the full
est advantage of it's provisions.
AS a matter of fact, the Progress
sives are confident that with their
smooth working organization they
could register at least ninety per cent
= of their vote if there was only one
registration period, but they stand for
a square deal for all voters, and, in
consequence advocate two registration
periods.
The Democrats keep a discrete ST.
lence on the subject of the unpopular
registration law, which is a Demo
cratic statute, but o. 0. Smith, Demo
cratic chairman of Wayne township,
openly suggested to Clifford Price
Progressive county chairman, the de-
STABILITY of a nou-partisan petition for
two registration periods as a matter
Of fair dealing with the voters, re.
gardless of their political affiliations
Expense Too Great.
Louis Bowman, Republican county
chairman, on the other hand, flatly re-
fused to indorse such a plan when
questioned today, saying he opposed it
because of the expense it involved.
The last registration of voters in
Wayne county was in 1912, when there
were three registration periods per
mitted under the original law The
May registration cast S2107S2, the
September registration $1,774.O5, and
the October registration $1.797.63, a
total of S5,6795O, which added to the
cost of the November election, $3,244,
63, made the total of polling the 12.
COS ballots that year, $S,92413 In
other words, it cost the county in 1912
about seventy cents for each vote
cast
Under the amended law, not much
better than the old. the expense OF
holding registration period is not sc
heavy but the cost would be approxi
mately $500.
1t is also provided in the new Law
that If a voter is absent from hi!
home at the time of registration hi
can register by affidavit, providing
this affidavit is mailed to before ant
received by the registration board OF
the date Of registration. This will &C
Comnsodate many voters, prcvidin.
they do not forget to qualify them
selves.