Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-12-11

contention and the taking of so much pun
ishment that the majority Of citizens anx-
ious for "fair deal" fail to take any
part in caucuses. Even if they resolve to
do so, in seven cases out of ten, the physl
cal Encouragement will defeat them. For
instance, in Sacramento for many years the
caucus meetings of given political party
in district of several hundred party vot-
ers, have been held practically without
public notice, and in room that will hold
possibly twenty people, and they are at
tended, year in and year out, by the same
persons. In another ward, in the same
city, the caucuses of party were called
for years to meet in a room that would
possibly contain eighteen or twenty peo-
pie, though the district has half thou
sand voters of that political faith.
Mr.. Rice needs to study our system more
thoroughly before taking it for granted
that the "call for primary" PresupPoses
freedom of expression within the party
He might, however, quote California as
living witness to the force of his own argu-
ment for secrecy in voting. We certainly
have the secret ballot-due to uniformity
of size, color and print of tickets-and 1t Is
next to impossible, if the voter is sober, for
any one outside the polling booth to cheat
him of his vote. The essayist finds that
secret voting in New South Wales etiectu-
ally prevents bribery, and has nearly SUI
perseded the canvassing for votes. In
that colony, the voter who does not read
nor write enters room at the booth, hav-
ing first received from the poll clerks a
card with his registry number. The re-
turning officer hands him paper contain
ing a list of all candidates. If his number
is found on the register, he then proceeds
to the ballot-room, and enters space Just
large enough to admit one person, where
he is given red lead pencil, and marks
out the names of those for whom he does
not wish to vote, as the list is read TO him,
folds his ticket, deposits it, and leaves by
another door. The process is the same for
all other voters, except that those who read
are absolutely alone when marking off
their tickets. A number of the single
ballot-rooms, or stalls, are provided, so
that several may be voting at once, and
without anyone to supervise or see them.
Candidates select "scrutiners" to watch
the deposition and the counting of the
ballots.
This process would probably be found
too slow and cumbersome in the United
States, without division of precincts into
very small areas, but this, we admit, might
be done with decided advantage in the
matter of speed and the sanctity of the
ballot. In the Victoria colony the New
South Wales system prevails, except that
the ballot is numbered to correspond with
the registry number, and thus prevent false
personation. But this appears objection
able as practically destroying the secresy
of the ballot, which is its chief safeguard,
even though scrutiny be not permitted ex-
cept an election is disputed. Here every
close election would be disputed, and how
ever circumspect the reviewing tribunal,
the knowledge of how men voted would
get abroad, though in Victoria it is denied
that such is the result.
Of course scrutiny of the ballot ought to
disclose any fraud of personation, but I'M
less this can be accomplished without en-
dangering the system of seeresy, it would
be better, according to our view, to trust to
the possibility of repeating" and false
personation In Victoria the election Off
GERS, for the Government, pay all the cleo
ton expenses. Each candidate is required
to deposit sum, graded according to Office,
as guarantee of good faith. If anyone
fails to receive votes equal to one-ffth Of
the lowest poll for a successful candidate,
the money is forfeited, and goes to the
payment of election expenses. On these
two systems New South Wales and VIC
toria) the election laws of Great Britain
are now based-the law being the New
South Wales system, with the Victoria
" scrutiny" plan added.
Mr.. Rice concludes his lengthy paper
with the statement that none of these
systems can serve for more than ground
work for any laws that may be enacted in
this country, but he insists that the
working of the English laws for a num-
Der of years has proved them an antidote
to corruption and trickery. His en-
phatic expression, "a reform here is i'm
peratively demanded in the interest of
pure government" will receive concur
renee by all self-respecting men.