Evening journal., 1916-07-13
Mr.. MILLER OPPOSES
VOTING machines
Reports Against Mechanical
Device for Recording
CongresSmen's Ballots
WILL NOT SHORTEN
SESSIONS, HE CLAIMS
Special to The EVENING JOURNAL

WASHINGTON, D. G., July IA
resolution has been pending before the
committee on accounts of the House of
Representatives providing for the pur-
chase and installation of an electrical
mechanical voting machine at a cost oil
sl25,OO0, in the House of Representa-
tives There is considerable objection to-
this matter irrespective of politics
The committee Of course is controlled
by the Democrats, and the majority has
submitted a report with resolution
authorizing the appointment Of COM
mission to purchase and install an cleo
trical and mechanical device for regis
terng the votes of the members on all
questions where a record vote Is de-
sired
Congressman Thomas W. Miller, of
Delaware, is ranking Republican mem
Der OF the committee on accounts, and
on behalf Of the minority he submitted
a report 10 the House on Monday op-
posing installation of the voting ma.
chimes. The report submitted by Mr.
Miller SAYS
committee ON accounts. which commit
tee has had under consideration reso-
luton providing for the installation Of
an electrical and mcdaniel system Of
voting in the House Of Representatives,
present the following reasons for dis
sentinc from the committee:
"Tms resolution comes before the
House at time when its work is prao-
ticallv completed and when the House
is looking forward to weeks and per-
hans months Of waiting for the Senate
to complete it, work on the bills that
have already passed the House. No. one
claims that the installation Of the vot-
ing device would tend to speed up the
Senate. The present situation there
fore. makes IT verv clear that nothing
could he accomplished by speeding up
the voting in the House, which is the
avowed object of the resolution Con-
press could adjourn no sooner if the
House had completed it's work long
since.
"The friends of the voting machine
claim that the installation Of this ma
chine would accomplish many reforms
Their claims are not always consistent
with one another. Some claim that by
this system the vote should be taken in
10 minutes instead of in a half hour or
more. and that a time should be fixed
10 enable members to come from tn,
ofice building. Others claim that the
vote ran he taken in two minutes OF
less. and should he taken as quickly a:
possible II is claimed that the system
can be nsed TO compel members to spenC
their entire time in the House. and that
no time should be given members tc
come into the House to vote, some ever
urging that the system Of bells now ir
use be abolished. II is urged that p
record vote could he taken much more
frequently bv this method. and that The
rules should he changed so that by this
quick method record votes could b'
taken in the committee Of the whole a'
we'll rs in the House
Some claim that desks could be IN
stalled in or near the House 80 that
members need moi spend time in thei
offices. and so that the Office work Of {
member could he done in the House o
near 10 it, others suggest that th'
present seats ne retained
"Some claim that the purpose Of tn
installation Of this device is to compe
or encourage full attendance of tn
membership Of the House. Others con
tend that the time for voting could b
extended so that members would hav
time to come from their Offices to vot,
u would seem to he true that if sufli
ccient time is allowed for voting, s.
that members may come TO the Hous
from the Office building and library, lit
tie or no speeding up would be accom-
plished
"It must be frankly admitted that tn
proposed device, if properly installed j
the House. will rapidly record the vot
if all members are present. Notinl
however. is the most important funC
ton of a member Of Congress, and W
seriously question the wisdom of hurry
ing this branch of the work. II frC
ouentlv happens under the present syi
tenn that members are required to vot
before they have fully formed the
Judgment The time taken in voting
obviously time Of deliberation, of cor
ference. Of quiet discussion, and Of II
terchange of views Often, under tf
present system, before the voting hs
closed. members change their votes.
is not an unreasonable thing TO requil
a half hour or more TO take the votes Z
485 men who, as frequently happen
have been engaged in debate on an in
portant question for weeks.
''But It is claimed that the devil
would save time when the roll is heir
called TO secure a quorum when son
one for purposes of delay has made
point Of no quorum. IL Is evident, hoy
ever. under such circumstances, that
a quorum is not present delay will
iust as necessary after the recordl
device is installed as Mt present. +
the House will be obliged TO wait I
the membership to appear
l"Speed is not the most necessa
thing in legislation. II it were. IL wou
be wiser to install the voting devic
in the Offices Of the members and 10 Pc
nit the voting to take place the m
ment that the bin is before the Houi
But Congress is and should be a deli
crate body. and electricity and mecha
ism are no more essential I'm grindi
out legislation than a slot machi
would be useful in dispensing Justice.
"It is claimed by the friends of I
pr6position that in the Sixty seco
Congress there were sufficient hou
spent in calling the roll to make up
legislative days. From this fact it
claimed that if those hours had be
spent in some other way Congress col
have adjourned so many days soon
Anvone acquainted with the work
Congress knows that this is not true.
large number Of the hours spent in ca
inc the roll are spent after the usl
-f ,1fourur,arf AZ other rim