The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-02-04
THE BALLOT.
The Evils of Using it at Elections, from
Tory StanIpOInL.

In a lengthy editorial on the subject of the
working classes the London Standard says:-
We have sand over and over again that if the
interests and political aspirations OF the working
classes are TO have special representation in
the House of Commons, we should be glad TO see
the mission entrusted to bona ti1e artisans,
rather than to the professional demagogues who
have SO largely mouopolzed 1t out of doors.
But here, as in the United STATES, the
laboring population. even in the penitude
of their power deliberately reject candidates
OF their own order for men OF higher class in
society upon whom they can rely to uphold
their legitimate interests whenever they are
affected by the action of the Legislature. Tuis
is the main ground of the quarrel OF the Reform
LeagueTs and their patrons with the order of
things brought about by the general election of
1868. 1t is puerile nonsense to assume that
intimidation or corruption had anything to do
with the result, The workiugmen exercised
their new privileges with aacrity and free
dom, but in manner of which Mr.. Beales
and his friends not unnaturally disapprove.
1t demonstrated that those noisy and in
dustTious politicians were not appreciated
at their own estimate. Mr.. Beales as the
workiDgman candidate for the Tower Hamlets,
has his own opinion as to the uprightness of
Mr.. Newton, the other workingman candidate.
Is it not possible that the working class voters
formed their own judgment as TO the claims of
both, and acted upon it? 1t is mere hypocrisy
to call out for the ballot. Every one knows
how the ballot can be and has been mauipu-
lated. 1t gave Yankee and negro Senators aud
members OF Congress tor the Southern States in
America; and Garibaldi can bear witness to its
efficacy in Transforming the Savoyards and the
Nlzzards into Frenchmen. 1t is the familiar
and convenient weapon of tyrants, whether
they be individual despots or moos. "Give
me the ballot" says one of Lord Lytton's
heroes, "and should like to see the man who
would dare TO vote blue. II it were question
Of putting stop to corruption or intimidation,
the conservatives are lar more Interested In
taking the matter in hand than the statesmen
of the Adelphl. They have suffered most in
those small constituencies where bribery and
undue inhuence-spiritual terrorism, in fact
have been enlisted against them; and if they
could perceive IN the ballot q sure safeguard
against the use of similar illegitimate
weapons in the future, they Would be
the first TO urge ITS adoption. But this
Is not the case with those who are angry
because the clients of Mr.. Mill and Mr.. Smith,
the unsavory darlngs OF the Adelphi, have been
unlformly rejected. THESE persons, backed as
II would seem by "mysterious funds" have
appealed as workiDgman candidates to con-
stttuencies in which the working class voters
were allpowerful. They were rejected to a
man; and, instead of accepting their defeat ia
silence, they mutter charges OF undue influence
and clamor for the ballot, when they must be
perfectly aware that the enormous constituen-
cles TO which they appealed were precisely,
those in which the arts of corruption and
terrorism could not possibly be brought to bear.
The Blister, the new London oOnic Jour