New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1916-10-18
SELECTMEN CAN'T
Change TO BALLOT
Machines Advocates Argue Board
Must Get Apparatus for Election
JOHNSON FEELS DISCOURAGED

Again on Trail of State Commissioner
Claims Exchange Proposition Is
"Hold-up''-Plan Meetings to
"Mal1e'' Voters-Briefs
Continuing his efforts to make ar
! rangements for the installation Of
voting machines in time for their use
in the election next month. First Sc
lectman johnson made a second trip
to Hartford today in the hope of
locating the state commissioner.
Mr.. Johnson has been covering con-
siderable ground in the past few days
trying to solve the problem which the
voters provided when they decided to
temporarily at least discard the Aus
tralian ballot while they experimental
with the machines and he admitted
this morning that the outlook is
rather discouraging.
Failing to get a satisfactory offer
from the International exchange,
which insists on charging a rental of
SIS for each machine used in the
election, Mr.. Johnson made a trip to
New bIlIdII yesterday Ill lIlS nope OIL
locating Attorney D. E. O'Keefe,
agent for the American Voting Ma
chine company. The lawyer was not
to be found and the selectman had to
be content with leaving a message for
him. He next journeyed to Hartford
to confer with the state commissioner
but he too was absent from his Office.
Mr. Johnson got on the latters trail
again today.
Advocates Of the machine plan of
voting, hearing Of the selectmen's de-
cision of going back to the Australian
ballot if they cannot get better
proposition than that offered by the
International exchange, have voiced
their objection to any plan not in &C
cord with the resolution adopted by
the recent meeting and they declare
that the board has no course to fol-
low other than that outlined in the
instructions given by the session.
They claim that the superior merits
OF the apparatus over the old method
will be easily demonstrated once the
machines are tried out and as the
$3.50 rental charge will be applied on
the purchase price in case the ma
chimes are subsequently made town
property the selectmen should not
satisfied with them they can offer no
criticism of the selectmen anyway, as
in securing the machines the board
will be simply carrying out the in
structions given them.
While the adoption of the machine
for the election was formally bright
about over a week ago the selectmen
admit that they have made no pro-
gress whatever They figure that the
manufacturers Of the continuance are
seemingly not anxious to sell to Plain
Vile as not a single one Of them has
even taken thetrouble to send a rep
resentative here to submit a PROPOSE
ton. Selectman Johnson is Of the
opinion that because of the short
time remaining before the election
the achine builders deduce that the
town will have to rent apparatus at
any figure the owners are willing to /
quote. They regard the offer of the
International exchange as a "hold-up''
and they do not propose to submit to
ii.
At present they are in a dilemma
ard they know not what course to
follow. Developments must result !
within a few days at most as the
resolution passed last week will neces- |
state the calling Of another special
town meeting before election If ar
rongements to get the machines here
ere not made.
Revenue Man Loses Coat.
George M. Phelps deputy revenue |
man for this district, has notified the |
police that his home on Farmington |
avenue was entered some time Mon |
DAY night and an overcoat stole. He |
has not advised the authorities of any
other losses.
The job is thought to have been
done by a tramp on a flying trip
through the town.
To Confer Degrees.
Officers Of the Grange are making
preparations for an important meet
ing to be held on November 7 when
the first and second degrees are to be
conferred on a large class of candi-
dates. The Grange plans for an
active season and will start its initia-
ton of new members at this session.
Last evening an entertaining pro-
gram of a musical and literary char
acter was given after the regular bus
mess session. 1t was enjoyed by
large number of the mem bers
To "Make'' New Voters.
The board of selectmen and town
clerk will be in session in the town
building Friday from 8 o'clock in the
until 5 o'clock in the after