Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 January 1915 — The Kind of Registration Law They Have in Montana. [ARTICLE]

The Kind of Registration Law They Have in Montana.

Edward F. Mills, of near Hamilton, Mont., son of Mrs. Anna Mills of this city and a graduate some years ago of Purdue University, has left for his western home after a visit of four weeks here, the first visit he had made to his old home since he located in the west six years ago. Mr. Mills has taken an interest in the politics of his state, not from the standpoint of party but as an individual and he believes that many of the laws there are wholesome and might be adopted with profit in other states. The registration law there is so framed as to be inexpensive, of convenience to voters and somewhat safer than the method employed in this state, and we believe the present legislature might adopt a similar one here. There, registration may be made during a fixed time with the county clerk, and the time covers a period of several months. If voters are unable to get in to the court house they can file their registrations by making affidavit before any notary public or justice of the peace. After registering and voting at any general election it is not necessary to register again unless one fails to vote at a general election. The direct primary law in Montana, according to Mr. Mills, has proved a good thing, although it has only been in operation a short time. The power of corporations, which had been very detrimental to the best interests of the state, has been eliminated by the primaries, Mr. Mills believes, and the law makes it practically impossible to secure support by corrupt practice, as candidates for county office are limited to the expenditure of SIOO during the campaign. Last summer in the primaries there were as many as 25 announced candidates for some office. The voter does not have to declare his party affiliation as’ is required in many states having primary laws but if there are four tickets in the field he is given all four tickets when he enters the 'booth. He selects the one he wishes to support in the nominating primary and marks the ones for whom he wishes to vote and returns it to be voted and the other three back to the poll clerks to go into another box and be destroyed. The plan worked quite satisfactorily, although it is rather expensive as the tickets required are necessarily four times as many as the number of voters, while the large number of candidates make large tickets essential. We believe that the expensive registration law now in force in this state should be -annulled and a new law passed by which the expense of registration would be greatly reduced. In fact, in the less densely populated counties, like Jasper and its neighbors, we do not believe that registration is necessary at all. As a matter >f fact there have been practically no election frauds in any of these counties, while the registration lequirement has made many honest voters lose their right of suffrage because they happened to be away or were unable to get to the registration booth. l