Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 88, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 January 1920 — STATE NEWS ITEMS [ARTICLE]

STATE NEWS ITEMS

The Doings •of Moosierdom Reported by Wire. EVERY VOTER MUST REGISTER New State Law Interpreted as the Only One in Effect—Unlawful for Anyone to Cast Ballot Next November Unless He Registers. Indianapolis, Jan. 30. —That every voter In Indiana will be required to register in order to vote at the election ’next November regardless of whether the voter has registered for any previous election or whether he has since changed his residence. Is the opinion of Qiarles O. Roesnler and William H. Thompson of Indianapolis, who were recently asked by Edmund M. Wasmuth, chairman of the Republican state committee, to give their interpretation of the registration law. The attorneys say that the 1919 general assembly passed an act providing for the registration of voters. A separate act specifically repealed the registration law passed in 1917, which had repealed the laws passed in 1915 and 1911. Thus the 1919 act is the only one now in force. It makes it unlawful for anyone to vote at the general election unless he has registered. In response to the inquiry concerning when and how voters must register to be entitled to vote at the November election, the attorneys detail the various steps required by the law. The law requires the registration board to hold in each precinct two regular sessions this year, the first on the fiftyninth day before the regular election in November and the second the twen-ty-ninth day before the election. Every person having the qualifications required of a voter may register. Any woman voter whose name has been changed by marriage, divorce or court decree subsequent to the registration to the election must file with the election board on the date of Abe election a certified copy of the court decree or certificate of marriage. Dry Law Status Is Issue. Indianapolis, Jan. 30. —Is the In-

diana prohibition law effective since the national prohibition law went Into effect? On this question Is based a decision in the case of J. W. Miller, charged with violation of the state prohibition act. Miller was art'estted-.Janu-ary 8 in his home at White river and Eagle creek, one mile from Sellers’ farm. Sergt. J. M. Bates and Mounted Patrolmen E. Shine, and W.. F. Kurrach, who made the arrest, testified in city court that they had seized six gallons of white corn two pint and three half-pint bottles tuid an eight-gallon keg of apple mash'lit Miller’s home. Charles E. Cox, attorney for Miller, moved that the charges be qutfkhed on the ground that the federal law made the state law void. Ralph Spaan, prosecuting attorney in the city court, asked that arguments be continued to give him time to look up the law and Judge Walter Pritchard continued the case until Friday. Goodrich Quits Presidential Race. Indianapolis, Jan. 30. —Gov. James P. Goodrich has announced his decision not to be a candidate for the Republican nomination for president of the United States. Expressing gratitude to friends who have' circulated petitions to place his name on the presidential prefernce ballot in Indiana, the governor says it is evident at this time that if he should become a candidate “others would come into the state, as they have a perfect right to do, and contest with me for the support of my own state.” This, the governor says, would make it impossible for him to conduct outside Indigfia the sort of campaign that is “necessary in order to afford any reasonable hope of success.” j Yeggs Rob Merom State Bank. Sullivan, Jan. 30. —Yeggmen robbed the Merom State bank at Merom after obtaining entrance to the building by breaking a window and burning a hole through the vault door with an acetylene torch. They did not touch the safe. A. G. McNabb, president of the bank, said that the loss will not be known until a check of the safety deposit boxes is completed, which will take some time. The police believe that the robbers obtained considerable money and negotiable paper.