St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-04-21
THE AUSTRALIANS SYSTEM.

The Australian system OF voting
stands good show to be ground into
powder between the upper and neither
stones of legislative stupidity-or, what
is probably nearer the truth, legislative
dishonesty. The house passed ballot
reform bill which the senate indefinitely
postponed. The senate then passed
similar bill, which the house will prob
ably treat in the same way. Thus each
branch of the legislature imagines that
it will have made record in favor of
ballot reform, and yet have failed to &C
complish what the people demanded.
However much the members may lay
the tiattering JUNCTION to their souls that
they are on record in favor of the Aus
tralian system, the people will not be
deceived by this legislative trick, and
unless the senate recOnsiders its action
Oh the house bill, or the house passes
the senate bill tomorrow, this legisla-
ture will be deemed guilty at the bar of
public opinion of having deliberately
disObeyed the instructions of the people.
The idea that the Australian system
is cumbersome, and that it's methods
are so slow as to necessarily prevent
many voters from voting, is mistake.
A gentleman who has bad experience
as an election inspector, both under the
Australian system in Canada and under
the ballot system in this country, and
has therefore practical knowledge of
the comparative operations of both sys-
TENS, is unhesitatingly of the opinion
that the Australian system is not only
less cumbersome than ours, but that it
is a successful bar to Intimidation and
bribery. He says that when he was
sworn in as an inspector at Canadian
election, he was presented with his Off
cial document of authority, copy of
the election law and instructions, and
the poll book containing the names of
about 400 voters belonging to that dis
trict. AT the polling place there were
only allowed behind the railing the in
Spector, clerk and Scrutineer, or
watcher for each political party. An
officer stood at the door and only al
lowed one voter to enter at time,
and as soon as he had voted he passed
out, and another one was admitted. The
inspector wrote his initials on each
ballot as he handed it to the voter.
only one ballot was used. and upon it
the names of all the candidates, those
( of different parties being printed in ink
of different colOrs, so that those who de-
sired to vote ''straight'' could dis
| tinguish the portions of the ballot re-
served for their party, and make a
single cross opposite the entire ticket,
re VI ;+o
each name. At one side of the room,
opposite the railing, was desk having
curtain on each side of it: and there
the voter, after having received the bal
lot, placed cross marks opposite the
name of the candidates he favored, and
after folding it in such way that the
inspectors initials were visible, re-
turned it to the inspector, to be depos-
tied in the box. The polls opened at
o'clock and closed at 4:30, at which
time the entire vote of the district had
been polled, and the election officers had
| plenty of time to chat and smoke cigars
during the day. In less than hour from
the closing of the polls the entire vote had
been counted and the result announced.
Most of the voters had voted a straight
ticket, and it only took about fifteen
minutes to count the 'straights." The
'splits" required more time. They
have voted this way in Canada for the
last fifteen years. and there has been
no disposition during that time to re-
turn to the old election system. Bribery
ana intimidation are unknown there,
and those who have seen their system
f.! in operation say that our method OF
conducting elections appears ridiculous.
The politicians oppose ballot reform,
but the great body of the people are ir
earnest in their endeavors to secure it.
and they are not going to let up until il
has been accomplished. The Austria.
liam system may not be perfect in all its
details, yet it is surely the best of all
the experiments that have been. tried,
and the people are satisfied to have ii
until something better can be worked
| ont