Connecticut western news., 1880-04-14
DEMANDING A POLL.
How Members of Parliament are Elect
 cd in England-The Secret Ballot.

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 cd in England-The Secret Ballot.
 A general election in England differs ln many respects from an election in the United States. In each country, the manner of choosing its representatives is characteristic of the people, Here the system Is a very simple one. Members of a party in 0 locality meet in caucus, and choose delegates to Convention; and that Convention selects the candi- dates for the office to be filled, whether it be that of President, Governor, or member of Congress.
 On the appointed day of election, the voters go to the polls, cast their ballots, and that is the end of it.
 In England, the different political par ties hold neither caucuses nor conven- tions. Members of Parliament are chosen to represent two sorts of constituencies. Each English county is entitled to two or three members; and besides the corn- ties, the cities, towns, and many of the villages-which are known, in general, as boroughs "-have their members. The candidates of the parties are se- lected in various ways. In some places body of men calls "the Five Hundred" or "the Two Hundred," as the case may be, comprised of the leading members of the party, to select its standard-bearers. They hold meetings at which the would-be candidates present their claims in person; they lay down the political principles to which the candidates must subscribe; and after deliberating, they make the selections for the party.
 This, however, is recent custom, and is not very widely adopted. It comes nearer to onr caucus and Convention system than any other English method.
 More usually the candidates are chosen by very few of the leading party men of the county or borough. They offer themselves as candidates, and without any very formal action, are adopted. Candidates, too, are Often selected for the boroughs or counties by the general party leaders in London; who are able to get them easily accepted by the local chiefs. The London political clubs have no small share in saying who shall stand as candidates in many of the boroughs.
 It is not seldom the case, moreover that man is marked out, by special cir | cumlstances, as the proper candidate of his party. The brothers or sons of noblemen, who have influence in the To- cality, often have the preference on this account. In great industrial district prominent manufacturer is sometimes clearly designated as a proper candidate. A man who has long represented a borough in Parliament is supposed to have prior claim upon its favor.
 The actual election of members of Par lament Is now D much more simple op- eration than it used to be. Formerly, the proceeding was what was called ''thc public nomination. On certain day @ wooden booth was erected on an open space ; the masses of the people gathered in front of it; and in it were assembled the chief magistrate of the place, the candidates, and their friends.
 The candidates were then publicly pro- posed, each by two of their adherents in laudatory speeches and then the official called for "show of hands,"
 The crowd responded, and the official decided that the show of hands was for this or that candidate. Then the friends of the other candidates could "demand 0 poll ;" and the following days would be devoted to the voting by the electors of the borough, at the various polling places.
 This "publio nomination" has now been done away with. Instead, the can- dflates and one or two friends meet in a room, on the day before the actual vot- ing, and are quietly nominated to the election office. On the following day the voting goes on at the precincts, as with us at the end of which the result Is an. nounced.
 The English have within recent years adopted the secret ballot as the legal method of voting. Formerly, each cleo, tor had to announce openly for whom he voted. But this was found to give scope to intimidation and threat, on the part o1 landlords and "bosses," and the ballot wns adopted.
 The English system of ballot, too, is much more strict than ours. The voter must go into room by himself, put the ballot in an envelope and seal 1t, anC thus deliver it into the box. ~ No one knows how he votes, unless he chooses to tell. In this way the power of those who have q hold upon the humble voter is reduced to nothing; and every Eng ishman may vote, without fear, fol whomsoever he pleases.
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