Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1921-03-09

though the result of the vote has
been announced, there could be no
complete and detailed record OF the
vote taken. Magic again-and more
Wonderful!
Within a small room back of the
name board above the speakers desk
are couple OF electricians-men OF
skill who keep this wonderful ma.
chine in order and do other things,
On their side of the board are the
names OF all the members just as they
appear on the front or outside OF the
board, except that instead OF lights
to indicate how the members have
voted there are letters Y" and M,
indicating yes or no. These letters
showing in white beside the names
Of the members are suddenly illumin-
ated as by the. noon-day sun when
the electrician turns on couple OF
powerful blue-white electric lights.
Back Of these lights stands pecui-
lar shaped camera, with the lens ex-
posed and carrying the reflection OF
the names on the board to some spe-
cially sensitized Photographic paper
about eight by ten inches in size.
Turning little crank the operator
runs sheet of this paper down be-
hind the lens, taking the picture OF
the inside or back part Of the voting
board. Turning another little lever
he cuts off the sheet from its roll
and runs it into q developer bath.
In very few seconds this photograph
is developed aid the operator takes
it ont, puts 1t through a wringer that
takes most Of the moisture out OF 1t,
rolls 1t up, places the roll ina small
cylinder and the cylinder goes into
tube that is connected with the
desk Of the chief clerk down below.
Pernanent Record Made.
There is no discounting or disput-
ing this vote after the clerk has this
photograph. There is the perfect
picture OF every name in the House
membership, with the "Y" showing
by the names that voted yes, and the
IN" showing by the names that voted
no. The clerk takes his time to max
ing up the record-but the next day
in the, printed house journal appears
the complete list Of members voting
how they voted. and the number as
announced by the Speaker the day
before. These Photographic records
are then filed away and kept for fu-
ture reference. No member may
complain that he is wrongly recorded
or that he was ahSent or not when
the vote was taken The photograph
will not lie about it, and the printed
record may be verified at any time
years after the vote is cast.
It has taken thirty seconds to call
for the vote, click the keys in ths
| locks, show the red and blue lights
on the board and hear the result Of
the vote announced by the Speaker
It has then taken only thirty seconds
more for the electricians up above
behind the board to take the picture
OF the recorded vote, develop it and
send 1t down to the clerk. 4
Has magic ever done anything more
wonderful than this device of elec-
trical genius? tq
What the Machine Means.
Costing thirty thousand dollars to
install, some OF the members of botl,
houses at the session two years ago
were skeptical as to the wisdom OF
spending so much money for voting
machine. Now they all approve OF
it. In the later days of the session
the 1OS members Of the House are
called upon to vote often. Some
times twenty, thirty, fifty votes In a
day may be required. Under the old
system each members name had to
be called by the clerk, another clerk
recording each vote on paper. then
taking time to add them all up and
which occurred often-complying with
some members request that the vote
be verified before announcement was
made. In this process an average OF
fifteen minutes of time might be con :
sumed, and the business of the House
practically suspended until the vote
on certahR measure was thus la
boriously completed.
Now, the 10S members can vote
in thirty seconds, or take a minute
to It IL necessary, wait another minute
and be voting again. Recently
we timed them taking votes and pass
ing six bills in eighteen minutes
and discussing each bill to some ex-
tent before its passage. More than
the work of an hour accomplished
in quarter of the time. and less
tiresome, less monotony, less chance
for dispute.
It is needless to say the voting ma
chine in the Iowa House Of Repre-
sentatives has come to stay. Sena-
tors cannot have such convenience.
There are only fifty Of them, and 1t
.wnuld be unnecessary senatorial
haste to grind their work out in such
fashion.
Pushing the Probe.
While the evidence so far sub