Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 263, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 November 1912 — REGISTRATION LAW A FARCE [ARTICLE]

REGISTRATION LAW A FARCE

Democratic Measure Without' Safeguards of Any Kind —Advantage to Corrupt Machine. In enacting a registration of voters law the Democrats attained the height of the ridiculous and made themselves obnoxious to the taxpayers all over the state. The registration law is without safeguards of any kimLio prevent fraudulent registration. Already the Democrats in Vigo and some other counties have been exposed in a systematic game of registering fraudulent names to be used by hired repeaters “at the November election. In the first place, the honest public is given no protectien under the law against the fraudulent or hired repeater who appears to register. There is no poll book holder, and no challenger under the law to see that only legitimate registration is permitted. The man who appears at the polls next November with a certificate of registration, has a prima facie case, and is awarded a distinct advantage over the honest challenger who may attempt to purge the precinct of fraud. In short, the law, as it is made, gives the corrupt machine an advantage over the honest electorate at the polls. The item of expense, registration boards, appointed by precincts being paid under the Democratic law $4 a day, whereas election board members get but $2 ar day for harder work, is one of the things for which the Democratic bosses who dictated the law, will have to answer| It is known that the statute was prepared by a Democrat who now sits on the supreme bench; that it was the work of the Taggart household; that it was not properly studied or intelligently passed upon by Governor Marshall, who turned It over unread to a Taggart committee which rushed it through without change. The law needs many amendments to make it fit for use for attaining honest ends. It is utterly unjust in the fact that it requires the voter to be present and register in person regardless of the distance he may be away from home. Sickness is not accepted as an excuse. The commercial traveler can not send In a certificate by mail. The government employe must make two trips home from Washington if his vote is to be reorded. In connection with the travesty which is called a corrupt practices act, the Democratic registration law is a huge farce. **- Under the democratic corrupt practices act the candidate for office can not be assessed, but he may contribute to campaign funds. He may hire “political agents,” and there Is no limit on the number. This means, in the that the candidate may uimer the law use boodle among “political agents” by the scores, so long as he calls the floaters “political agents.” Under this law political clubs may Incorporate, and raise money and call the fund “membership dues.” This money may be disbursed by the “treasurer” of this incorporated club. He, as “treasurer,” hae power to pay members of the “club” for doing political work. The members of the club may be “floaters,” and the “treasurer” under the law, may give them $2 each election day, and give each floater, with his $2 bill, the title of “political agent.” This preposterous statute already has occasioned the incorporation of scores of Democratic political clubs, largely among the foreign element in Lake, St. Joseph, and other thickly populated counties. The object of the law thus is laid bare in advance.