The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-01-11
Ghe 9ailg Atgns.
Saturday, January i, 1873.
The Corrupt and the COrrupting System OF the
Secret Ballot

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If IL is true that all is not gold that IN.
tiers IL may be equally averred nls' az M -
not progress which is named reiJiln : NJ
St Louis Republican aPPP'o"ol,o s, t eoIie
what tardily the question VI SeolSe ualo'l |
inc. and points out, as we nave ehueaNoreu
90 IL ,napy times in these columns, the ut
30, ballG,Sness and demagOguery of the
secret ballot system. 1t is the confession
az The unftness Of men to vote at all to
admit that they will not vote wisely and
independently where they 10 vote pir0 cocc
The pretence-a it is but n shabby pre-
tence--of the opponents Of the rice roce
system is, that large employers and those
having power over voters control their
votes. Suppose we admit it. Is 1t not
equally true that undue influence Is eXerted
by men of wealth and power under the bal
lot SYSTEM lsit pretended that employees
of government are not voted by ONCE,
holders, and that operatives are not Noted
by their employers and bosses under the
so-called secret system? There Is TN,
ted States statute for the punishment OF
any attempt 10 intimidate or influence a
voter BY threat of pccunlaTy INJURY or de-
privation of employment If the vote were
cast openly so that every man Of every par
ty might hear II, would not unusual imam
nifty among voters, the employees ct any
man or company, be likely to attract attcn-
ton and excite remark, and lead o. th'
conviction of those who attempt r. any
means to cUcrcc their dependents w QUA
not the very instincts oi manhood, When
men were casting their votes openly. tend
to prevent them from voting against their
convictions in u manner that would imply
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their employer? There are scores OF potent
reasons why the rirH rorl system Is the
more independent mode Of voting a. mont
pretend ~ deny 10 is the least liable tQebt
abused bv frauds We may indeed Say
that il is absolutely impossible ~ stun bal
lOt-hoXr,. misc1mt, curtail ur ia any wa,
pervert or lraudulcutly tamper with vote
east rirJ rOcc There must be at all elec
tons where the interest is great and where
therefore, frauds would be likely to be at
tempted, always scores of persons of eacl
party keeping tally and comparing figure
constantly. Thus it would he that an
attempt TO tamper with the vote would b
surely and overwhelmingly exposed, 10 tn
utter confusion and disgrace of the ey
doors These facts, as 20 the impossibiht
of fraud under the rira roec system, are $
llAln lllul JutIt Cull w uN NdIldUtt VI Nill
ion about them Gov Wise OF Va. in h
unequalled campaign against the secret o
Of know.nothngs strikingly said that III
expression Of the will OF the people ut ii
polls cir0 roc, was the very pibrnarh
liberty And So indeed by the c1lJss
evils Of the corrupted ballot box und,
the sneakiug criuging system of the seer
ballot will the people he driven 70 see al
admit. In sheer selGdetcuco will the fire.
men of the nited States be impcllcd
again walk up 90 the polls and head ere
and in loud and uutatering voice rcspon,
bic only 10 the God who made them. declai
for whom and tor what they vote tt
miserable and paltry -1phistgiUs by whiC
the secret ballot has been put upon Il
country will lose their power before Il
overshadowing necessity for publication
the ballot-box now become Instead Of &
means Of expressing the popular will d
dirty machine by which the popular "
may be dcieatcd-St Jo,sph Gdsgt,