The Portland daily press., 1889-01-25

| The Bath Times declares that 1t is in favor
of ballot reform, but against the Australian
scheme, because In the editors judgment 1t
offers no assurance of genuine ballot reform,
is unwieldy, impracticable, unnecessarily
expensive, and incidentally, because it sub
jects every voter to humiliation which
practically places him in the category of a
sneak thief" Perhaps we may be able to
correct the editors Judgment by citing the
opinions of persons who know good deal
more about it than he does because they
have seen it in operation. This system has
been in operation in England since 1872, over
sixteen years, period sufficiently long to
thoroughly test II. Concerning its working
there, Mr. Edward Goadby in the Political
Science Quarterly for December has this to
say:
1t has worked admirably. There is no wish
Tor any change. The country squires do not sug-
gest it,. Large employers OF LABOR never dream
OF It. Irish priests barely think of it, Yet these
classes can no longer poll their men as they used
10 do leading them up in procession standing
alongside the booths, and hearing them vote.
Elections were never SO orderly. The nominal
centre or immediate neghborhood. The polling
day passes of quietlyNo Estates of the poll" can
now be issued by poit cal parties at hourly inter-
| openly fenderedl TO fan excitement and to indi-
cate how contests are going: Except that con-
| veyances (lent by friends of the candidates, as
they cannot now be hired by the candidates them
selvesl, are rapidly moving about bringing up
voters, there Is scarcely any hustle. The ballot
Itself Is rapidly and quietly taken, and the voter
is often surprised TO note how quickly the votes
are recorded and the voters pass away, whilst the
exterior Of polling station is apparently so life
less. Perhaps more organization may be requil ed
IN locking after the voters, but one never hears
an elector complain of the method, even if the
less Intelligent sometimes blunder In making their
crosses or put too many upon the paper.
This Is the testimony of man who has
seen the Australian system in operation fol-
many years. 1t would seem to be somewhat
superior to that of the editor who has never
seen it. But the editor" thinks it would
make him feel like a sneak thief On
this point we will call Mr.. Charles Harbut OF
Bridgton, gentleman whom the editor
knows He has voted under it. Did il
make him feel like sneak thief? here is
what he says
My first ballot was cast urder this method, and
felt just as much man as did last fall when
this objection from any one who voted the secret
Dallot. " has This advanGage the noise of ward
Dummers' and the confusion Of party discussions
are LETT outside and the yottr as the opportunity
20 think what he is doing, and to intelligently
There is no more reason why an honest man need
feel unnamed" by this, than burly, broad
sh0uldered citizen, who fears nobody, need feel
UNNAMED" on account OF the presence of police
oricers upon the streets at n0ontide.
II this testimony is not sufficient let the
editor inquire Of man who has served up
on a jury, if he felt like sneak thief when
he retired into the jury room to vote upon a
case that had been on trial before him.