Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-02-04
PROTECTING THE BALLOT.

Mr.. Theodore Roosevelt, in an Eastern re-
view, urges the adoption of a system of bal
lots prepared by the State, for all elections
as one means of purifying politics His idea
is to have all ballots printed and distrib-
uted by the State, sufficient guarantee
being given by those who ask that GER
tain set of tickets be printed, so as to pre-
vent needless multiplication of candi-
dates, with little or no support. He would
then have the State distribute the ballots,
and thus destroy the ticket-peddlers' voca-
ton. Every voter would be provided with
a set of all ballots, and so be enabled to
choose the candidate he preferred. This
would, we think, be but a weak imitation
of the Australian system. That provides
that all the names of candidates shall be
upon one slip of paper, which is furnished
by the Government. But either plan is
faulty. Neither provides for eleventh.
hour candidates, that not infrequently are
the best As the voter is required to go
into booth alone and cross off names,
leaving those he desires to vote for, the
process is slow, and not adapted to an
American election.
Mr. Roosevelt ought to study the Cali
fornia system. The longer it is used, the
more its virtues develop. The ballots are
uniform, the law prescribes how they shall
be printed, the State furnishes the paper,
no distinguishing marks are permitted
upon the exterior of the ballots. nor any
inside that will 'Show through The
ballot is required to be folded in partic-
ular manner, and the voter has an area
extending 100 feet, in all directions, from
the polls, within which no ticket-peddler
is allowed to approach him. The secresy
of the ballot is thus, we think, as well pre-
served and defended as is possible to be ar
rived at, without hindering the voter too
much in the process of casting his ballot.
But all these precautions are only minor
means to political reformation; simply
slight defenses against assault upon the
rights of voters. Political purity is in
the political paradise of a future not yet
perceived in the perspective of time. But
approaches toward it may be made, and
the first and absolutely precedent essential
is duty-doing on the part of the American
sovereign 1t is, and always will be, i'm
possible to effect political purity, and to
make our elections reflect the true will of
the pie, so long as a large proportion Of
the people remain outside of the activi-
ties of political life While they do that
those who enter in must be expected to
take the loaves and fishes. The politics of
the country left to the vicious will be used
by them for vicious purposes. If all citi-
zens who protest against chicanery
in political management will make
the protest sensible by action in
club, ward meeting, primary and conven-
ton, there will be worked complete
reformation, and bossism under it will go
down. But that such consummation will
be early attained no ore expects. The
men who make local politics business are
in possession of the machinery, and moth
ing short of their complete custer from
power will give us perfectly fair dealing
The elections may not be corrupt; there
may not be ballot-box stufiing and there
may be no intimidation of voters; but the
expression of the true will of the people
can nevertheless be prevented. All that
is needed to that end is the possession of
ward party machinery-the voter has
then left to him but the poor privilege of
voting for whomsoever the ringmasters de-
termine, or not voting at all. The trouble
is not with ballets nearly so much as it is
with primaries, bosses and the neglect of
the voter to attend to his political duties
among the least of which is the casting of
the ballot.