Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-08-23

For the purposng of preserving the purity of
the ballot box, and to prevent mistakes by
figures at elections, the legislature in April last,
passed an act that in every city at elections in
the different wards, after the check lists have
been used, they shall be sealed up and returned
to the city clerk. This was in addition to an
act previously passed, that the ballots should be
sealed up and pr eserved for future reference, in
case of a contested election.
The election which took place in this city in
May last, was, for the second time a close vote
on the beer question, and was contested and the
fact being clearly proved by different witnesses
that a certain kind of fraudulent voting
was practised in ward four, this fact has
shown that another precautiOn should be
taken by those having authority by fur
| nishng the different ward rooms with
suitable ballot boxes. Those now in use were
made like open contribution boxes, and are too
small TO hold the full number of ballots of the
present number of voters. A gust of wind is
liable 10 blow the ballots out, and when the
warden and inspectors are not on guard, there
is chance for those who are so disposed to
take out or put in what they choose, as it is al
legged was done at the last election.
Your correspondent was once voter and in
spector of elections in another city, where the
ballot box used had a tight lid, with an OPEN
ing in the centre, and directly underneath the
lid was slide lid. The warden would require
every voter to unfold his ballot to see if there
was but one, then draw the slide lid, allow the
ballot TO be deposited and close the lid
again. No voting could be done unless
the warden was on duty. This is the best form
for ballot box, unless a still further precau-
ton need be taken, as in San Francisco, where
the ballot boxes were ordered to be made of
glass, so that no secret compartment could be
stuffed by dishonest inspectors.
AT the Worlds fair held in London, one Of the
articles on exhibition from the United States.
designed to show the great advance made in
political science, was simple ballot box; and
since the use Of the cartridge box for deciding
political questions was dispensed with at the
close of the war, the ballot box-an American
invention improved-is the peaceful instrument
used to decide great national and local issues,
and should be so well guarded that no resort
may be had to the other. Another complaint
made was, that where names appeared on the
check list Of those who were entire strangers
to theward officers, other persons, also strangers,
would appear and vote on those names. The
man who steals vote by SO doing alters the
correct figures and tells public lie of which it
is more polite TO tell the public, than If it were
Of private nature. We are not surprised to
hear of voting repeaters in some Of the larger
cities; but il possible to prevent, it should never
again be published abroad that the board of
aldermen are obliged TO take action on cases of
fraudulent voting in Worcester.
The government based on the principle of
popular representation will not be sufficiently
armed for its own preservation unless it has
proper supervision over the process and meth
DDS by which men are elected TO fill the highest
places, or by which local questions of great con-
Germ are to be decided by yea and nay votes by
the people at the coming elections. R.F.