The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-01-09

enters the room provided for that pur-
pose, he may get his ticket from an ire
sponsible "peddler" on the outside. It
needs no argument to establish this
proposition. Nor should it require
much argument to convince intelligent
men that the printing and distribu-
ton of tickets is as much the legitimate
junction of the state as any OF the offices
that it now performs in connection with
elections. The state provides all the other
machinery necessary to the exercise OF
the suffrage. 1t appoints and pays cleo
ton boards; it provides polling places; it
furnishes the ballot-box; and there is no
logical reason why it should not supply
the most important part of the machinery
namely, the ticket. No election could
be held without tickets; and vet the
printing OF tickets is LETT entirely in pri-
vate hands, and premium is thus placed
upon corruption, trickery and fraud.
il would be just as logical TO
leave the provision of polling places to
candidates and party committees as TO
depend upon them for the printing and
distribution OF tickets. The improperly
and unwisdom OF the present arrangement
are so clear that they would be instantly
perceived by all were it now proposed to
be adopted for the first time. II is only
because the people are accustomed to it,
that any fail to realize the fact that it is
an assumption by individuals and extra
legal organizations OF function that be-
longs peculiarly and exclusively TO the
state. IL has worked evil and only evil,
and its perpetuation can only result
to the detriment OF good government.
That able democratic journal, the Chi
cage Globe, puts the case very strongly
when 1t SAYS:
In all parts of the republic voting is done by
ballot, sO-called; that is, by means of voting
paper on which the names of the persons voted
for are printed. This voting-paper is the most
essential part of the whole election machinery.
1t is by means OF this voting-paper that the will
OF every elector, and OF the collective elector-
ate is determined. All parts of the election
machinery are under the control of sworn Off
GERS OF the law with the single exception OF this
most important part. The law carefully guards
every other paper. process. and proceeding;
but this most essential part this voting paper,
TO secure the proper delivery OF which, as an
act OF the Tree Will OF the electOr, all the rest
of the machinery exists, has been deliberately
left TO individual initiation and manipulation,
unprotected by any legal safeguard whatever.
A better plan to facilitate and purchase votes,
the forgery OF voting papers the defrauding of
voters the ''stuffng" OF the boxes the falsihca-
ton OF returns, the ingenuity OF villainy surely
could not have devised. 1t Is by means of this
ungarded voting paper, which every rogue may
deliver 70 the voter with the price OF his vote,
and keep in his sight until it is placed in the
urn, that votes are bought, and that all other
known modes OF falsifying and cOrrputing
elections are practiced
Right here is the remedy and the practical
means of reform which the appalling corrup-
ton of cur electoral system imperatively de-
mands. The law must take the voting-paper
into its own hands exclusively. The law must
initiate it, print it, hold it, guard II, protect IL
against the touch of any person not its own
authorized agent, aud deliver it to the voter
he approaches 10 vote out OF the reach OF all
other persons. The law must so construct it
by placing the names OF ell candidates on the
same paper that the voter may, nay must,
make his own election among them. In this
consists the Office of an elector, which the law
intends and the elective system requires. every
elector shall exercise by and for himself, and
not 10y or through any manipulation or control
of others.
With the adoption Of this legalized and law
guarded voting-paper the Globe believes that
vote-buying and most if not all the other cor
rupt practices that vitiate our elections and re-
duce popular suffrage TO a hideous farce, would
cease, because they no longer would avail the
corrupt purposes of those who practice them.