The examiner., 1882-02-04
VOL. |.
The Basis of Reform.

manifold are the doctrines, the isms and the schemes proposed and advocated in the interest of humanity. Some are all wrapped up in one idea, some are carried away with another. One makes a hobby of Temperance, on the "moral suasion' principle, others affirm that nothing short of Prohibition will accomplish the moral and material reform of society.
 | Then we have Greenbackism, which pays all its attention to the financial problem, | believing that with a proper adjustment of our financial system all would go on in peace and harmony. Then socialism comes to the front assuring us that there is no hope for the oppressed, that equal and exact justice cannot be meted out between men, so long as system prevails which forces one man to beg of another the op- portunity to labor. Its motto is ''each for all, and all for each-according to his deeds" ""Hold r cries the communist, s'not so 1; the true doctrine is, leach for all and all for each-according to his needs" Sub stitute needs for deeds and then our vale of tears bee omes transformed into a paradise, And now comes the Anti-mon- opolist whose only aim is to curb the power of giant railroads and other monster com binations. Small thieving is justifable in his eyes, but thieving on a large scale must be prohibited, or the life of the Re- public is endangered. Then we have an organization who sees no basis for any hope of political regeneration with one half of our citizens the better half disfran- chised into political noth1ngness. There are various other assoclations both of 8 political and industrial nature, such as Protectionists, Free traders, civil-service reformers, co-operators and Trades union ists, all in love with their own pet theory, and each believing that the general accept ance and adoption of his, would give to the defrauded oppressed and discontented of mankind, the justice, freedom, and happiness for which they have so long but unnecessarily struggled.
 However the province of this article is not to examine and discuss the relative standing or claims for recognition of any of these associations, but to inquire of those who through party organization at the polls are striving to crystalise into organic law their particular creeds or doc trines, if they ever stop to reflect as to how their desires shall be accomplished, even though a majority of votes may be actually cast for any particular party while the machinery for testing and record ing the same is suffered to remain in the hands of unprincipled political knaves, and low-lived thoroughbred scoundrels And that such machinery to very great extent is now in the hands of this class, is a question over which there can be no dispute; and that the majority of our pres ent lawmakers and their hirelings desire that this condition of affairs shall continue is also as evidently undisputable. There fore the first effort of every reformer should tend directly to the purification of the ballot-box, for if there is no founda- tion, there can be no edifce erected, or if the foundation be composed of the quick sands of ballot -stufing, intermingling, re- beating, false counting, and corporation bulldozing, what security is there for the political structure Reformers in every State of the Union should give this matter their most earnest consideration and no matter how much they may be divided on other subjects, all should certainly be united on this.
 An act for the purifcation of the ballot is already before our Connecticut legisla- Ar,- h @G I>s eo~s the absolute secrecy of the ticket which every elector may cast. A room or stall is provided for the voter where he may go alone, select his tickets, place them in an envelope, seal and then deposit the same in the box outside.
 The Secretary of state is to furnish a sufficient number of envelopes, with the seal of the state thereon, and penalties are imposed for the marking or counterfeiting of them, and no ballots marked in any way, save by erasure or alteration of the name of candidate or of the office to be voted for, will be counted. It is very elaborate affair and if carried out would efectually preclude the possibility of any undue influence being exercised on the voter, no matter in what condition of life he may be placed.
 That this bill will not pass is certainty. The Connecticut legislature, like all the others, is nothing more nor less than 8 machine to transform into law the wishes and behests of those who are ever schem- ing to live upon the labor of their fellow men without returning just equivalent therefor.
 But what is the duty of our honestly disposed citizens in this particular, you who condemn all of those influences placed between the freeman and his consc1ence, and which tend to degrade the voter if he be poor and at the mercy of his wealthy employer, or if he be weak and a prey to | to the tempter, into mere tool for the record of another's will? Your duty is plainly to come forward and show by your presence in the halls of legislation, before those men whom you have commissioned to serve and not to rob you, that it is your