New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-11
o1rror REFORM IN CONNECTICUT.
A PROSPECT THAT THE LEGISLATURE Will
ADOPT ONE OF THE MEASURES NOW
PENDING.

r,.eord Feb fo-some bill for the reform or
the nresent system OF voting in Connecticut Is hhes
n M made law by this Legislature, ana 10 DO s'gheu
nv Governor Buckley. Just what that pll may DO
is very difficult 70 say the matter OF paoI roiOi'
being IN a somewhat chaotic state Just az present
There is widespread sentiment IN the state IN iaVor
q, a change of some kind and Il found expression IN
,h a,fors of both political parties In the last cam
naIen the Republican platform pledging the party
support TO a compulsory secret ballot while the
Democratic platform made similar, put less Pio-
nounced pledge. Since the Legislature mas Deeh IA
session a great many petitions have been sent y
from all parts CT the State notably from the smaller
manufacturing towns where the power Of the Demo-
cratic purchasing machine was made manifest In NO
vember. declaring in favor of ballot law when
would be in the interest Of good government ana oeter
morals In politics, every petition asking that the Ia"
be passed SO that the cast his ballot In aoso
lutte secrecy No section Of the State Is unrepresenu
in these petitions
several bills have been introduced in both branches
and are now in the hands Of the, Committee on Ju-
dietary and at least moro important bill is 10 DC
presented. In the House, Representative "ole,
Dern), of New-Haven, has introduced bill modelled
somewhat on the lines OF the Australian Dill, but
providing that large number OF officers now electeu
by the cities and towns shall be appointed by the
sslectmen. This is an attempt to simplify the ballot,
but will weaken the better portions OF
the BILL which, by the way, has no
support worth mentioning in the party
to which Mr.. Wolfe belongs. Representative Chopin
e Merden has presented bill which modelled rom
the Australian bil and has the support OF many no
publcans as being in all respects better Dill 'han
that Of MrsWolfe The Senate has two bills before
IT, one by Senator Cleveland, OF this city, which is
the accepted Democratic measure. This provides Tor
envelopevoting the state to furnish each voter Win
an envelope, a secret apartment being provided nor
him to enter and seal up his ballot the ballots 10 DO
obtained as they are now from Ticket pedlers' ex-
cept that the election officer shall see that eaeh Voier
shall have one OF each ballot printed furnished him,
bat not at State expense.
Senator States Of New-Haven (Dem.), also has an
envelope bill which provides for puncturng OF the
envelope after the ballot has been sealed Within IN
onler to make the vote oicalS and cntitle 1t to be
counted. Mr. Yale of this city (Dem) also mas an
envelope blu, with provisions for "vestieues' IN
which the votcr may retro to place his ballot All
Of the envelope bills disregard the feature OF ociai
ballots TO be furnished by the state, and all OF them
The knights OF Labor and the Federation Of Labor,
which have always been controlled Peliucaly oS .ne
Democrats blng urged 20 adopt the envelope sys-
tenn ard II IS expected that they WIZ peluoh me es
slature In favor Of Il The ei when mas phiiesT
press, and which will undoubtedly be urged b. some
Of the Republican Leaders notably oy Ho.O WsnhY Pm
which viii be introduced next Tuesday This bul
has been drawn by Judge Henny' qi ms CITY and 'ne
formed upon the lines OF the Massachusetts ballot
Law, signed by Governor Amss, and The saxton Ballot
bill vetoed by Governor Hin, Of Ncw-York IL pro
vides for ballot furnished by the State, signed on
the back by tho moderator OF the polling Place by
initials stamp, TO constitute II an ofcia' ballot
for poll cpaces for every 400 voters some Of tho
pollngplaces in Hartford cast over 1900 votes at
the November electionl for secret compartments and
for the absence OF crowds al the polls Its provisions
In harmony with the advanced thought upon the
ballot reform question: and Il will find great sup
porting constituency behind IT. the hearings
begin which viii be on the 10th Inst. Other miner
tsIis the ballot question arc one for poltax qua
fcations and one making penalties for bribery more