| Show I COMPLAINT AGAiNST AGAINST REGISTRARS On December 11 th the Peoples People's Municipal Central Committee filed with the Utah Commission the fol following fol- fol following following lowing CHARGES AGAINST THE REGIS TEARS SALT LAKE CITY U T Dec December 11 1889 To the Honorable Utah Commission I Salt Sale Lake ty O Utah Territory Gentlemen The Central Com Com- Committee Committee Committee of the Peoples Peopled Party of Salt Lake City on behalf of a large number of the qualified vo voters rs of said city and party hereby make the following complaint against the deputy registration officers appoint appoint- appointed rt ed by your honorable body for Said Eaid city to wit Against A H S MCCALLUM that he has discriminated against certain certain certain tain voters by refusing to register them except at their homes but reg reg- registering registering registering others not at their homes That he has refused to correct the name of a 8 registered voter w which bad been changed on the list or to tore register register re-register him or correct the wrong in any way That he has assumed to ex exercise judicial functions and pass upon tb the qualifications of citizens citizens ready to take the oath prescribed that I h he has declared his intention not to i register such persons at any time but threatened them with the peni peni- penitentiary penitentiary i That he has refu refused ed to register voters at whose residences he be had called when they were not at home but who appeared at his office and asked to be 00 registered he declining to register them th m until after Decem Decem- December December December ber 1889 Against E R B CLUTE that he has discriminated against voters as above d described That he be has neglected his duty by spending time at stations hotels business houses etc when he be should have bae l ee ting the dwell dwell- dwellings dwellings ings of citizens citi ns thus leaving many houses in his precinct unvisited That he has registered some voters at his own house and refused this privilege to others on the same day Against J R B MORRIS that he has bas discriminated as aforesaid calling at certain houses bouses and pass passing ing by others on the same block sometimes skipping a house house but visiting those on either side of it That he has refused to register except at their homes voters who called upon him and informed him that they could not remain at theIr homes and desired to know where they could be registered he reply replying that he would have an office but could not tell when it would be open That he has refused to state when r he would visit certain f families or at what time so that voters might re- re remain remain re remain main at home to meet him 4 That he has refused to register voters who called on him after he had visited their homes when they were not at home until after Decem Decem- December December ber 23 1889 That he also has assumed judicial functions fun declaring persons not legal residents who have resided in inthe inthe inthe the city for many years Against B R D WINTERS that he has also discriminated against voters as heretofore described That he has neglected his duty asto as asto asto to house to house visiting That hat he has declared his is registration registration registration tion closed on November andon and andon andon on November for the Fourth Precinct refusing to register any anymore anymore more persons in that precinct until after December leaving many i of them unregistered Agai Against Louis BY HYAMS AMS that he has bas discriminated against voters as aforesaid That he has neglected his duty as d X to house to house visitation and yet Y has stated that he could not possibly attend to it in the time That after arranging aud and agreeing to register voters who came to him himin himin himin in the manner agreed upon he utter utter- utterly utterly utterly ly refused to fulfil his promise and aud would not register them That he has refused to register a number of the members of the Peo Peo- People's People's Peopled ples pled Party until after December 23 That he has not only refused to register voters at his office or house but to inform them when he would be on his beat best or when he would call at their houses From the general course pursued by the registration officers in this city we have good and ample rea- rea reasons reasons rea reasons sons to believe that they are ready and willing to register members of the Liberal party but unwilling to register members of the Peoples People's Party Also that by the exclusion of a large number of legal voters from re registration until the week commencing December many of them will be prevented from 4 registering ring and thus a fair election will be prevented We respectfully ask your honor honor- honorable honorable honorable able body to inform the registration officers that the law in regard to visiting the houses of citizens is not so much for the convenience of the as that of the voters and is facilitate not prevent a full and fair registration And it is their duty to register qualified voters at any place within their precincts and at reasonable business hours That they have no judicial powers and cannot legally refuse to register persons ready to answer proper questions and take the oath pre pre- prescribed prescribed pre prescribed scribed by law That they must not discriminate between members of different political political political cal parties And that on failure or neglect to perform their duties they be prompt prompt- promptly promptly promptly ly removed and other officers ap- ap appointed appointed ap appointed pointed in their stead We also ask further that your hon hon- honorable honorable honorable body appoint a sufficient number of deputy registration officers officers cers to be at designated places dur- dur during ing the week commencing on De- De December December De December cember to register all qualified voters who have not then been reg- reg registered registered reg registered And that additional regis regis- registration registration n officers to at least the num num- number number number ber of one for each precinct be ap- ap appointed appointed ap appointed pointed from among members of tile the Peoples People's Party All the registration registration registration tion officers now appointed are known to be members of the Liberal Party strong and avowed partisans ready to serve their political asso asso- associate associates associates to the utmost of their power We therefore urge that the party to which h we are attached be accorded this representation in order that justice may be done and that the approaching municipal election may be conducted fairly and express the e choice of the majority 0 of the thet t voters of this city Verr Very respectfully On behalf 0 of the Central Commit Commit- Committee Committee Committee tee of the Peoples People's Party of Salt BaIt Lake City HEBER M WELLS Vice Chairman Vice RICHARD W YOUNG Secretary Today's Today s session of the Commission was spent in considering the charges and determining upon the course of procedure Colonel in an inv investigation Colonel Godfrey chairman of the Commission stated that an order was registrars being formulated and anti the regis regis- would have an opportunity to answer Until this was wae done he i isaid said the order of the Commission would not riot be made public There will be nothing done dur dur- d during during ur- ur ing the remainder of this week as it itis itis is the last of the house to house can can- canvass canvass canvass vass and the Peoples Peopled Central Com Com- Committee Committee Committee are desirous of placing no obstacle whatever in the way of the registrars doing their work Further steps will be taken and evidence be introduced to sustain the charge after the Commission designates a time which will win not interfere with or impede registration registration registration tion |
