Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-03

Kentucky's new law. providing that
the ballots cast in an election shall be
kept under lock overnight and counted
the next day, is strongly criticized by
the rest Of the country, on the ground
that it will add to the suspense in a
close election. The measure became
effective without the governors sigma
ture. The purpose is to minimize OPP
portunities for fraud. the ballots to be
kept under three locks, the keys of
which are to be in the custody Of trusted
officials.
STEALING an election, like other kinds
Of theft" agrees the San Antonio News,
"is easier under cover of night. Pre-
sumably acting on that theory, the
Kentucky Legislature forbids the count
ing of ballots after dark" The News,
however, emphasizes the Objectionable
features Of the new law, with the
statement: "Prolonging the candidates
and the citizens suspense for a day
or two is likely to prove intolerable.
And will the rest of the country will
ingly wait "a hours to learn how Ken
lucky voted for President? No prophet
is needed to predict that the howl of
protest after the first count under the
new law will force its repeal. Would
not the State do better-even at con-
siderable expense-to adopt voting ma
chimes? The new devices are proof
against tampering; they register and
count the vote as cast. No waiting for
returns; that's progress. The Kentucky
Legislature has tried to turn the clock
back 100 years."
Kentucky is assured an eccentric
publicity as the State which prefers to
At - -
ceSsion," declares the Syracuse Herald,
pointing out that the Governor of
Kentucky declined to approve the bill,
though he permitted it to become law
after 10 days without his signature"
The Herald also comments on the effect
of such legislation, with the statement:
The theory inspiring this queer legis-
lation is that a days delay In counting
would work as q safeguard against
fraudulent manipulation of the returns.
Up in our own State q suspicion has
found deep lodgment that any prac-
tice or influence that interfereS with an
expeditions count has q precisely oppo-
site effect to that contemplated by the
Kentucky legislators. OF the two ny
potheses, the New York one seems the
more reasonable"
The suspicion that "there must have
been crooked work somewhere" is voiced
by the Waterloo Tribune, with the
conclusion that Kentucky isn't going
to trust its election officials to count
the ballots hereafter" and the state
ment as to the practice in its own
State: Here we proceed to count the
ballots, while the balloting is going on.
We do 1t right out in front. The only
trouble we ever have is In the way of
disputes as to spoiled ballots, and we
try to count them in such a way that
the voter will not lose his vote"
n X X X
The method adopted brings the sug-
gestion from the Harrisburg Telegraph
that maybe that's all right for Ken
lucky, but counting ballots the next day
has overturned more than one election
in Pennsylvania" The Toledo Blade
concludes: LAS for the merit in delay
ing the ballot count, it Is difficult 10
see how potent that may be In pre-
venting fraud. With the ballot boxes
colleased In the county court house, 1t
seems that the jugglers may have every
thing in their favor to put on the show
to suit themselves. One may wonder,
also, how many of the locked ballot
boxes actually will arrive out of the
on muleback on election night"
EFT Is possible" contends the Hart
ford Courant, chat the result Of such
elections will be held up for days until
the voters are counted in one State,
since Kentucky is on the whole Dor
derline State The law was passed
because of recent charges of fraud In
Kentucky elections. It is regrettable
that the inability Of one State to con-
troll the honesty Of its ballots should
bring the possibility OF an irritating