The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1873-01-03
Uniform Elections.

A distinguished member oi' Congress
from Indiana, contributes the following
suggestions, Of very marked weight. 10
she New York Nv orld," on the subject
OF uniform day for elections:
lie says: The intrinsic importance of
this subject can hot DC oyer-estilliated.
ourh change in the early future j. Vi
tai 10 lie welfare and safely OF the re-
public. Ii should extend 10 and pro-
vide, II possible, that
l. All general elections required il
any one year IN any state shall be held
ON the same day aud between the same
hours as the Presidential election.
9. No elertor shall be allowed to vote.
unless, III addition 10 ali other quaiitica-
Lions required. he shall have resided in
.the voting precinct at least ninety days
before lie Gay OF election.
3. And MOI over four hundred votes
shall be received at any Que voting place.
Some Of the imnerativelv needed re-
suits OF such Changes would be thar:
l. At each Congressional and Pre.i-
'densiai election. and at each Congres-
..Gnal election alone, there would be in
the country lair, real, decent and or
sier.y expression Of the popular iudg-
.GlelI upon the current Issues of the
itiine. An election hat does not attain
this supreme Object oi elections is sub
istantiIily failure, ii not u farce or a
i.aId. tnder our present jarring, dis
lJoinied- inhafmonious system we never
attain this great and rational end. Flee
,tion cainpA.siss III some States. first voi-
ing, are very spirited. deeply exciting.
bitterly contested. and often shameless
lly corrupt because their importance
the Importance OF their results comes
IN great part from without, ceases to be
limited by the real situation within, j.
thus made unnatural. feverish, danger
loas. The struggle becomes excessive
and inaamed beyond all proper rand sale
bounds, reason and moral perceptions
are damned, political aud personal pas
,sions become dominant, the welfare OF
the State is lost sight OF, and vice. cor
lruption and lawlessness are resorted
TO. and thus The scene closes in sort of
popular debaueh, and every true. high
and noble aim Of representative insli-
itutions is defeated. Then 10 one side or
the other in all the other States comes n
sense Of defeat in advance. spirit Of
moody and unmanly indifference. or Of
more or less natural and wel-iounaei
disgust. and thereafter. in such States.
no true test OF the real strength of par-
ties, or of the real popularity Of pend
ing issues. principles, or ideas. or ct the
personal merits of candidates. i 1T all
possible. Practical default follows. This
as all wrong. and it is most dangerous TO
our country. 1t demands speedy and Of
'ectivr reform. NJ personal ob-erya-
tiUn ol The civil workings OF our present
;. stem is extensive, aud of suci. a char
acter as TO I'LL me with alarm for the
future Integrity of Our free institutions.
! 2. The previous residence OF ninety
days would lave the effect very eiiec-
lively TO cut OF the scantiaious practice
ot colonization or pipe-laying" from
one precinct or State into another. This
fraud In late years is most exten ,iyely
practiccd. Ey the friends OF the Al.
minlslration il was praciiced TO the ex-
tent OF many thousands in Indiana th;.
wear The uniformity oiiimc in hol,iinuthc
elections would al once very great,
! limit this fraud.
4 j. But the most certain and cT.ctiy.
remedy against II would be secured b,
reducing the extent of the voting pyc.
cinc;s. IL they were so circum~cribcf
that not over four hundred ballots could
,be cast nj any ono. il would happen quit,
Ccrtainly and generally, and almost ~