The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-11-24

ceased candidate shall, II practlculy WITHIN
the power OF the registering officers, bc
placed upon the list OF regular candidates.
In case OF the adoption OF q registration
law, bribors might induce voters 10 refrain
from registering, and TO avoid this evil
strict and iar-rcaChing law must be
adopted. For instance, making the
bribers solely responsible and providing
for fine penalty, the half OF which 10 be
paid to the informer.
II the nomination OF candidates is left M
at present. some method must be adopted
TO enable independent candidates TO have
their names on the official ballot, because
under proper law, no other ballots ex-
cept those prepared ut public expense
would be permitted in use. Where there
are three regular party organizations, as ut
| present, thoy could be recognized rs en-
titled TO have the names OF their regularly
nominated candidates printed on the bal
! lot and in case OF Others, the names OF
! bona iido voters in the districts where
| action IL desirable, to certain specified
numbers, should be recognized rs emitting
! the petitioners 10 hayo their candidates.
! namc printed on tho ballot, with those Of
! the regular candidates Some action rs 20
! primaries ought TO be taken rendering the
| power OF boss and heeler less ciloctual, and
! thus giving tho better class Of citizens u
more potent voice in the selection OF can
didatcs.
The fourth clause defining bribery is
! already recognized in our election laws, TO
n greater or less extent, and, II necessary,
/ could be strengthened. Giving of articles
! OF wearing apparel, garden Implements, or
other various articles to influence voters
favorably by candidate is in England de-
fined as bribery.
The fifth acknowledging undue inau-
enGe"-is covered by our law under the
head Of intimidation, etc. Every species
Of influence brought to bear Tor the pur-
pose Of securing votes is named under this
head, except those specified under the
head OF bribery.
There certainly ought to be some pro-
vision made 10 protect candidates from tho
bleeding process under which they Ia
Dor by the ceaselcss badgcring of ticket
agents for every conceivable entertain
mont, book poldlers and all classes who
during campaigns make 1t a special feature
OF their business 10 see oil the candidates
for subscriptions.
The sixth clause limiting tho amount
which a candidate may expend during n
campaign is a feature which is intended
|
may have over one in moderate circutnl
stanccs, and, ! believe, would be- decid-
edly valuable feature. though not essential
10 the effectiveness Of tho system. IT. will
be seen that the two leading features are
practically the Australian system of yot-
ing. and to adopt these two features in
connection with our present law, would
be long step m the direction Of pure
ballot.
will now describe the workings Of these
two features. Tho law provides for print
! ing Of the ballots 10 the public expense: all
names Of candidates for tho samo Office
should bo printed on ono ballot. That X.
! Democrats, Republicans, Prohibition or
| Others provided for. This does away with
the necessity OF ''pas,crs" In this State,
| where there airs ~ many offices Ia bo lllcd,
| II seems TO me, 10 have separate ticket
/ for each would be- cumbersome: therefore.
| ! would suggest that the tickets for Ma.
/ tionnl, State aud county election bc pre-.
/ pared ~ follows: The election aud State
| officers Of all parties on one ticket. and
/ county, Congressional aud Legislative
| candidates on another. In order Ia pre-
serve ordinary length Of tickets three
| might be necessary. In New York thcy
prepare separate tickets for all officers.
Those tickets arc done mn In books. with
stubs. which, with tho tickets, are mum.
hcrcd IA correspond. They are delivered
10 election oiliccm ai tho proper time, who
stand at the entrance of the room, and
when voter enters no h given ballot,
I which ho iirs. stamps upon the back with
l a stamp specially prepared, and which IL
/ kept secret until tho day Of election and
changed each year.
II there * q registration feature, each
voter has q registration number aud this
number h marked upon tho stub II no
registration number, the voter IL given q
number no ho comes In, aud this number
Is put upon the stub. The voter, after 70.
cciying the ballot, steps In one of the
booths, where ho finds pencil with which
he Crusacs nut the names OF those hc docs
not dc,irc 10 vote for. A notice should be
posted IN each compartment warning vot.
ers 10 erase names carefully n the voter
" blind OF cannot rcad. lao may DO per-
mittcd 70 ask tho service Of tho election
officer, who must servo aud who II sworn
90 secrecy. Aiior preparing his ballot he
carefully folds Il before leaving the com-
parlncut M the stamp mark on the back
appears, and procccds 90 the ballot. box
and deposits the ballot himself ~ the In
spccior can see the stamp mark and then
leaves the polA No one "a permitted To
hitter around tho polls aud mono In tho
room except tho regular election olic,f
aud the voters actually In tho act II ,ot-
ing. Five minutes tirc Tor making tho
ballots should hc tho limit
These arc the essential icatuTea Of tho
system, aud, II adopted, will certainly
tend 10 Tho publication VI tho ballot
Them has been no attempt to outline tho
system perfectly. my only desire baing 10
give a general idea Of what the system ~.
ally Is IL can bo said with ASSURANCES Of
truth that the floating voters are In
ctcnslng yearly under our present system,
which permits tho Landlord, tho money
lord aud corporate wealth generally TO
levy tribute ON tho massea and unless
some eilcctual election Law Tor the curtail.
mont IT the operations OF interruptions
political managers ~ enacted W. might AZ
well call irro government fare. AZ
least, time promises ~ bring forth this
state oi anair, II the present system OF
unequal distribution - wealth u cOntin-
ucd and avenues Tor bribery Of yoigs loit
vide OPEN.
II may be conicndcd by some that
bribery can ~ carried on under such q
system ~ ] have outlined, but when ono
thinks that the brbsr would not trust a
voter Who would lie guilty Of selling his
vote, he will recognize how sifeclu.ly his
secret feature would eliminate hril,fy
iron elections A man could sell lis vote
To dozen men II buyers could DO found,
AMI sitter All vote ha own sentiments aud