, 1877-01-13
THE DOMINION.
How Municipal Elections Are Con-
Quoted in Canada.
suffrage Not Univcrsnl, but on a
pccuninry Basis.
The Process Of Holding an Election,
from the Nomination to tho
Official Canvass.
4 System Entirely Different from Tint
In Vogue In the United States.
Special Correspondence " The Trfbnnt,

Special Correspondence " The Tffbnnt,
LONDON, Ont, Jan. s.-Sew-Ycar's Day was
doubty celebrated throughput the Dontnioi.
IN addition to the suspension Of business anl
The general festivities Of tic Ncw.ycar tide, the
rcoplc intlulpcA lit their municipal elections,
which. by uct Of Parliament, afc held on the
first Monday IN rarls ycar. municipal c'cs-
t.on Is question Of vital IntcTrst-or a: lctstit
eccms to hc--to every inhahtant OF the munir[.
rality. 1ttcll nud poor arc all alike cnthusctl"
over II; anl, m matter where the stranger Goce,
he llcnrs nothing but talk nbout voters anil rnn-
lttatcs. as rtte, nntional pulItics Is not
brought into municipal atTnErs, although there Il
growing disposition Oh Tho part of many who
arc enrolled III the ranks of tho Conservative
party to mako nil Issues subject to the dcclsn
pf tho ballot-hox purely political 9lcstions, null
thus hold tile successful pnrty responsible fur
The administration Of affairs. To a n,alcrutc
extent this platform was adopted at the election
In this city, though without any organized cltor.
10 effect 1t.
UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE DOES NOT OBTAIN
In tho UoIninnrn. THO right 10 tho exercise ct
tic franchise Is lasct on the ownership of real
estato to the valnc Of $500; OIL The occupancy Of
rentcl peopcrty, provided tic rental Is *iUO per
nnIutn; or Oh yearly income I'll $IUO. oil
which an fncotnetax-the same rs IN rcni anil
personal property-ts levied. Those who have
not paid their taxes by Dee. II arc dcl,arreel
rom the exercise Of the right Of voting. Lin
tied universal suffrage prevails IN the election Of
cllool-Tru.tcea,-lImItctl 20 fnr that every
parent whose children attend school has tho
right to cast Ills ballot, whether he he yutcr or
not at municipal nr Parliamentary elections.
Until within twU ycure, All yNtliIg WIS done
WIN yoce. hut IT became notorious, or rather
y Waa positively alleged and never successfully
,cn1ctl' that the managers Of large tnanufastur-
inH Institutions. rAi'wHyF, AMI other tutfr
works were n the lmlit of intinl|datlng their
threats Of dismissal II they failed to. votc as d.
rected. 30 great an nuttry was ralscd against
The systcM that rarlta1nc1A WIS induced to
ADOPT TIE BALLOT SYSTEM, ..,
Ind the Royal assent WIS given OIL Dec. II, 1s74.
The Canadian ~ systetu of manipulating tlIc
The United Stncs. The ilrst thing that strikes
the American visitor ts the utter ab+enre Of TIC
tIcket-pcddicr. Timt rough, unstust!, greasy,
whisky-Euzzlngindlvitlu lose greatestobtcc;.
Erecnbacks Or free whisky, mud Is not unwilling
to sell out or furnish fT1utlulnnt tickets Tor Il
ro',sldcratto1', IS unknown here: Tie voter,
about; and the whole Thing s done as quietly
a,,d orderly Us the laliotinE tor tho elloiee OF
Directors ut a meeting Ut the stockholders Of
bank nr railroad corporation.
1T HuillCll11 ElcELluttb LILY AlCFk$ W[1OeE
m the fa!thful discharge ot tts dulles, Is The
chief returning officer. Hc Is, In fact,
rliE RETURNING HOARD
weeks previous to tho day OF election, t.c makes
tut complete Lat Of all the parties entitled to
yYtc II, each ward; Fur several days, t!lts list.
which h printed, Ii open to tic Inspection Of
right here tt may be remarked that, In yoti,g
for Aldermen. tie y0tcr Is entitled to exercise
the right Of frnnchsc IN each wnrs! In which llc
t'w'': property, a''d, II 9 t'oll.ress'ent hold
THIS lsst IT voters, l.aylnG been properly rur-
rrc1css .a.u amended, Is sworn to by the City
Clerk, and by iftu eoptcs arc furnished ~ thc
@ ot asSS onte Ct +; S;i i!r rpGaf1 a4 81 acs ans,s
Onu week before the tlay IT election,
TOWS.MEET1Nu
Is held at the ctty-llnl. ut which candidates nrc
nominated far tho osl!cc Of Mayor sln,sltl only
Que be placed in notltnatu,, tic City Clerk,
wllD pgcst'!cs ani conducts the bustness, prsl
no''l'ess the candidate Elected by reclamation.
HS';hl s,' y ,1as,nIn tMo Or "rc nn scd M no',tso
kinc dc,-,tlc frlc1nls If tho respective cs,fldi-
saatcs rotirnE tu cairs1s atld Imy uut tic work
for The weeks ca'npagn.
IN tho casc os tie Aldermen, a meeting IL
held at sunc central po!n. III each ward, on tic
san'c 'lay. presided nyer by Judge ol Elcctlun,
Tte saI'c f0rn,Ality Is g1ne through will, Us IN
The ease ot thu Mayor, IN this city there arr
lie
tt'ns afc certified BY thu Judge of Election to
the City Clerk, nn.t this enls the matter until
clcct!olay. MI other candidate rur, bubro,lglit
cut OIL that day, anl under nu circumstances
TIM
.. THE "pAnK noRex"
hc trnttcd ont. Thu voter must cast hia ballot
t"r either otle of thu candidates abstain from
exercising Ills right.
Neither tbs candidates NOR their friends hare
nnsts'lilg to do will, tlc l'l'l"t-papera., They
nse printed Mt tile rubItc expense by the City
Clerk. ahtl sufficient lnItsbcr IL meet tho rG-
tl!!rcncnth III the yntcra ut cuell pulling pre-
cinct Ii given tn the J'ulsc nf Elrctin un the
Iosnirly III that evcntlml .iuy. These arc
counted out +" him, umi, wllcn liz makes Ills rc-
turn, l1e must account fur every one. Tho
Jadsc Is sworn ns'trr,ami. lit addition 10 ohl-
Entlhg himself tn fAt!siuily aud tInIartt,lly t,cg-
t"rin ttIe duties of Ills nflIre solcmuly takts
.'pon lmse!f an uatll "f tccrrry. Eart' eain,l-
'nic ls entitled u representation Ut tho lnhls,
Ehller ly himself TT by Hi arcut, to lnuk alter
]iis Interests, anil scr that tho elrrtL Is rut,.
ta'lrted fairly IND IN axor1anec with the letter
anl spirit Ut tbs Inv.
arc oprnrl at o i. H., nn.l are kept open with.
out MtcrluEsstun until s u. III. In casu tllu
Judge IT Election sh,Id mt put ii, his appear
nhec by ~ II. III, !. then lcculnes tic duty ot
tlt futefs to tT-antkc II tnwl!-Incetlny AMI eert
Judge. w!Iu III then swu1n IN accurlimG to tic
lor!nn vt law provided.
lc.ore a,iy YLtcs Asc l,llc.l, tie ballot box /.
opened In fnl1 view Ut tlls peo1'e surrounding
the polls. II IL tlIcn loeked uts,l hcap,i by tho
Judge, Alnl tue n3rnt, III thu candidates, Ii the
lasttr rlsuosr Il. III sn. 'rAts having hccn donc,
1hc .It'lgc a'n'o'1rsce that tic llls nrr olpnrl,
uni tlit waiting v'';n,hcucc.. Thu cusr.t tcrll.
tiny Is observed, ;.nl even wcIl-kms"n rtlixells
old rcslticnts-. an1l,t yute ,luti! their right
to DO " t'as becti verified by MI Inspection uf
the vntrrs list wlIlei, has bten ttlrni>I.gd by tic
City Clerk.
THE EMoDCs-OFEhAApil Isl:
John Snttn ap}sears ta yotc. llu Il asked Ills
nu"e a,a Residence. Ills right u suffrage bc-
Ing established, tic ts furallc,l with two !a!lut-
papeTa, arranged ~ fuiluws,-our for Mayor unl
the at,IeT fur Aldermen. Earll ballut brfuru
teing handed to the yutcr, Is marked IN the
lack wthi he iuittals Or full lla,ne Ut tho Judge
VI Elrctfun;
Fon MAvott.
l.EwIs.