Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-10-13
HINGES ON STATUS OF
CIVIL WAR STATUTE
Attorney General Trying 10 Determine
Whether Law Was General or
Special--No Provision in Absent
Voters Law For Registration Of Men
on Duty on Border.
Special to Times Republican.

the question for several days, has ruled
that this law is still on the statute
books and is good. Attorney General
Cosson, however. is looking, still further
Into the question.
Much hinges on the point as to
whether this law was general law or
a special law or into which classical
ton 1t falls. If it was general law it
has been repealed by subsequent act
OF the legislature. But il it is a special
law 1t Is still good. Attorney Robbins
says 1t Is q special law.
Everybody including the attorney
general wants the boys down on the
border to have a chance to vote on
Nov. z, If the government Is still hold
ing them. The boys who come from
towns OF, less than $500 inhabitants or
from rural voting precincts can vote
under the absent voters law for regis
tration is not required in the smaller
voting precincts. But every voter liv-
ing In towns of more than $500 must
register this fall and there is no provi-
sion in the absent voters law which
will permit him to register by mail.
The big per cent Of the troops which
make up the three Iowa regiments on
the border are from cities of more than
$500 people or registration cities. So
the absent voters law does not help
them any.
Undoubtedly the coming legislature
will be asked to amend the law so as
to take care Of the. registration feat
ure. making it possible to register by
mail as we'll as to vote by mail.
In the meantime the question still
stands undecided as to whether or not
the soldiers on the border from Iowa
can legally vote on Nov. I.
Z Absent Voters Law.
Many voters in Iowa are planning to
take advantage Of the absent voters
law at the election Nov. Z. apparently,
for the secretary Of state Is receiving
numerous inquiries concerning the law.
Travelling men especially who can't be
home on Tuesdays without much In
convenience and loss Of time will take
advantage Of the law. But few are ac-
quaintei with the requirements. mas
much as the law was enacted by the
last legislature and the primary in the
spring was the only time they have
had chance to use 1t thus far.
A voter wishing to take advantage of
this law and vote when away from his
regular voting place mus. first make
APPLICATION to the county auditor or city
clerk for ballot. This application
must be made on printed form sup
piled for this purpose. The voter on
this application form must swear to his
ofi
points before a notary public or any
other official qualified to administer
oaths. When he has filed this applica
ton with the auditor or city clerk. not
more than fifteen nor less than three
days before the election. 1t shall be the
duty Of the auditor or clerk as the case
may be to mail, postage prepaid this
ballot. The ballot is sent to the
voter in an envelope and on one side
of the envelope is the form OF a
printed affidavit which the voter must
swear to when he casts his ballot, or
rather when he seals 1t up in this en-
velope ready for mailing to the officer
who sent It to him. 1t must go by reg
istered mail. The vbter must mark his
ballot In the presence of an officer
authorized by law to administer oaths,
such as notary public. Judge, or SINH
lar officer, but that officer is not to
see how he is voting. The auditor or
clerk, on receipt of the ballot, seals it
and the application In a larger en-
velope to be delivered to the Judges Of
election in the precinct where the man
votes and opened by those Judges on
election day.
This year every person must regis
ter, however. in cities Of more than
$500 people. The registration dates
are Oct. 26, e and 2s. and Nov. 4.
Commission Visits oeiwein.
Members Of the state railroad COM
mission yesterday visited Oelwein to
look over the proposed site for a via
duct over the Northwestern and the
Great Western tracks. The citizens of
that city are very anxious for such a
viaduct.
: Two members Of the commission,
Secretary George Mclaughlin and
Commissioner Wilson, witnessed a
tragic railroad crossing wreck at Mis-
souri, Valley Recently in which two men
from Logan were killed while trying to
cross a railroad track in the yards at
Valley. Messrs. McCaughan
and Wilson, who have been giving the
question Of grade crossings much study
because Of the frequent number Of coll
lisions between automobiles and trains
on crossings, like the other spectators,
were mortified. The two men had just
crossed one track safely when a train
had split in two to let them thru and
were attempting to cross third track
when they were caught by an incom-
ing train. It is thought they misun-
derstood the fiagman. The commission
hopes to have this serious problem Of
grade crossings well worked out when
the legislature meets and will ask for
legislation which will lessen the danger
from grade crossing accidents.