The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1880-11-12

one ballot from another in appearance ex-
cept the names of the several candidaics,and |
they shall be printed with plain black ink,
SEC ?, Every ballot shall have caption |
as provided by law, but such caption shall
be prit ted in one sra ght line black ink, with |
plain type of the siza now generally known |
and designped as Great Primer Roman |
Condensed Capitals ald the names OF all |
candidates shall be printed in plain type, |
with letters OF a uniform size
SEC. 3 Il shall be unlawful for any person
to print or distribute or TO cast any ballot
printed or partly printed contrary to The
provisions OF this act, or 10 marx the ballot
of any voter or to deliver to any voter such
marked ballot fur the purpose Of asccrtaining
how he shall vote at any such election.
SEC. 1 Any person or persons who shall
knowingly or wiliully violate or attempt to
violate any the pro, isions Of this act shall
be guilty of misdemean r, and De punished
by Imprisonment in a county jail or peni-
teutiary for not exceeding one year, or by
| fine of not exceeding $500, or by both such
| fine and imprisonment
| SEC. 3. All acts or parts Oi acts inconsis-
| tent with the provisions of this ac are here
| by repealed; Provided, that nothing in this
act contained shalt be construed to pro
| hibit any elccior from voting any ballot en-
| tirey written or from voting any printed bal
| lot which in outward appearance complies
with all the requirements ot this act upon
the face of when he has personally iuade
| or caused TO be ma,'e an erasure, correction
or insertion of any name by ponci-ma:k or
otherwise.
Ia defiance of this law tho republican state
committee of New York had the Garfield
electoral ticket printed with the word "E!ec-
tors" on the back so that the workers at the
polls could tell without the slightest diiti-
Guilty whether or not the voter cast n Gar
field ballot. The ord Electors" thus prin-
ted wa. not "capion" but an indorstment.
1t was not a heading, but label notifying
every bystanlcr at the polls who choose to
see that the man who voted the ticket so
designated cast a repu Jiicdn ballot. Per
contra, those who did not vote u ticket so
designated were known to have cast ballot
for some other candidate than Gal field. 1t
will be no.ic-d that the statute above quoted
specifically and positively declares that i
shall be mlawtM for any person to print or
distribute OF cast any ballot printed or part
ly printed contrary to the provisions of this
act" Nothing therefore can be more GER
tain than that all ballots east in the state OF
New York with the word " Electors printed
on the back instead ofat tie head are unlaw =
ful and void. In one ward of the city Of
Oswego all tickets so printed were thrown
oIt by the eIec ion inspectors. The legality
Of the marked ballots will be tested aud may
suit in the los of the electoral vote Of New
York to Garfield. UuquAstionabIy Il ticket so
marked th,t any one near the poi my know
is contents j, MT n secret ballot. u ques-
tiunab y, too, the New York statute WAS en-.
acted fIr the purpose If enahling thevot r to
Use secret ballut. Therefore l,ut II the
e''er hue ais h" spirit OF the Law h,, been
ii lat 4 by those who printed, ci,'rlhLted
al l"teA the marked ticse's. To AL in'ents
tnd pnr. os there might "a well have been
a rira CJce voc each vote ca ling out /" u e
ell III crr- the names If he persons he
v,i.d FIR, sS that tre vo'er sh"uld he re-
lurd t. cast bt.int 80 marked that its
niea's must be known tn those present at
tn ?rlls. 1t u4t be said hat the throwing
ou OF mar K, j ballots would he aking adj
van'ug' Of mere technivalIty, hut .uch
would not tie tte fact. The provisions of
The Isw intended to ersnre a free and fair
ballot by torhidding the use Of marked tick
: -, are based on TIE great principle Of the
ooitcA equality of all clt;zn ms and when
, they are Violated the very found, ,tion stone
| 'fr. publican government is shaken. Some
time Gr other il must ne determined by the
. proper authority Whistler citizen OF the
Uui'cd States may be SUI jected with impu'
nj Y 70 espionage and dirtatinu while excer-
cisifg the right Of suffrage, and whether
ticke;s printed distributed and voted in de.
fdce nf laws r0iccting the secrcsy OF tic
ballot are good and valid The proper au-
h'riy in the particular case under consid
.'atiun is tie Congress of the United States
The question may as well be raised now a,
/ a. any future time. In fact the sooner it j.
,ettled the better, f r the sooner we knoS
, whether one man may lawfully own another
on eli elton day the souner we will be able tc
decide whe e.h'r our guvernment is regut
lie OF freemen or lu'oClacy Of saves -
. Patriot.