Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-12-28
FRIDAY MORNING. DEC. %. 1883.

A local article in the Richmond stDispatch''
of yesterday discusses the probability Of an
extra session of the Virginia legislature next
month, one of the principal objects of which
will be the amendment of the present election
laws. The best amendment, in our Judgment
would be the adoption of the givo ooce system
If that is not practicable, then let us try the
Australian plan, which is infinitely better
than our present system. Indeed no system
could hardly be worse than the one under
which we are now voting Petersburg Iaader-
Appeal.
There is one, and but one sufficient
reason for calling the legislature of Vir-
ginia in extra session, and that is to give
the people Of the State a real secret ballot.
The present system of ballot, not only in
Virginia, but all over the Union, is a
farce as far as securing free ballot is con-
cerned. It does not secure absolute secrecy
but falls far short of it. The heelers Of
both parties around the polls send their
captiyes up to ticket holders, and know
pasted on his hat. The Australian plan
where the State takes charge Of the cleo
tion in all its branches; prints the ballots
and allows no others to be used, and pro-
yides secret room in which to furnish the
ballot to the voter, with no other man
present but a government officer sworn to
secrecy and neutrality, is the only plan
that up to this time has seemed to meet
the desire for free ballot.
If ever there is to be perfect content
with the secret ballot system it will only
be when the ballot is secret; when a white
man or black man can vote with abso-
Lutte certainty that his vote Is known only
to himself. The Democrats will never be
able to draw upon the eolored vote IN any
election of Importance until the colored
man is protected from the bulldozing and
religious persecution that his own color
1y secret ballot and many colored men
will vote the Democratic ticket. Give the
Republicans of this State perfectly Sc
cret ballot and the tyranny Of Malone
would soon end by his being dethroned.
It would loosen up party tyranny, defeat
the spy system, abrogate the vote buying
practice. and in all things give US better
elections and purer politics.
Like our contemporary, we see much
value il the viva uoee ballot, but it is no
use talking about that now. The time is
past. The idea that secret ballot is the
only thing that makes mans vote his
own undivided and undisputed property,
mas taken too deep a bold on the popular
mind to permit its ever being given up.
The secret ballot is marching With events
and will never be abandoned until some
thing new and better is found; the vjva
coes vote is a thing of the pasta rusty
gun, torn cartridge box, worn blanket.
that the marching line will not turn back
to pick up.
We have several times alluded to the
value of this Australian system. In
our opinion the workingmen OF the State
ought in body to demand it's adoption.
and. if necessary, an extra session of the
legislature to secure its adoption, as soon
as practicable. None more than the work
ingman himself can understand the em-
barrassment Of the present open>secret sys-
tem; none as well as he can understand
the bread-and butter phase Of suffrag e.
as a Knight Of Labor recently expressed
it at their convention here-and none
more than the wage-Worker can under
stand the great value Of being able to vote
as he thinks best fer his own interests.
But If the Australian plan is not
adopted-a plan, the result Of which would
be worth to the people all the money an
extra session cost-we don't want to see
the people burdened with the expense CT q
session to be spent in political maneuver-
ing. There is nothing, that we can see,
that ANY legislature can do with the State
debt-which is about the only subject now
unsettled, or needing legislation, in the
affairs of the State. We DON'T want any
extra session TO legislate fer the party
all such devices rebound on any political
party that attempts thera-but if the one
great and benefcent act Of giving an abb
solutely free expression Of political
opinion through the ballot box will be given
the people by one. we should be glad to see
it. The corruption of the ballo5Nbox in
other States last month, should lay upon
Virginia the burden Of taking the first
step in setting the example of making the
ballot absolutely free, and aoielded by oYasaa-
tinaid0ted and uabought voters. For such
purpose we should welcome an extra ses-
sion and for that onIy.
By the election Of Mr.. Chas. F. Mayer
as PRESIDENT of the Baltimore & Ohio
Railroad in place of Mr.. Samuel Spencer,
a protracted fight has ended in the tr~
umph of what is called by its opponents.
the "old Garrett party" He is a co-exec-
utor of the T. Harrison Garrett estate
Messrs. VIM. Keyser. James McLane and
Geo. w. Dobbin OF the opposing interests
have been removed from the investigating
committee. The friends of Mr.. Spencer
claim that he was removed on account of
his making candid statement of the con
di5ion of the affairs Of the road. Mr..
Mayer is railroad president and manager
of Jonr avnarjauoa and uraaf ability ord