The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1889-11-01
BALLOT REFORM.


From Ha,risotro Dafiv Patriot.
The Philadelphia Press with an au-
dacity that puts to shame the boldness
of the ordinary campaign falsi6er, as
serts that the democratic party is OPP
posed to ballot reform and that the re-
publican party is struggling with
might and main TO accomplish it, or
words to that effec'. 1t refers to the
veto of the Saxton bill by Governor
Hill, of New York, and the defeat of
ballot reform bill by the New Jersey
Legislature. But Governor Hill vetoed
the Saxton bill on constitutional
grounds and the democrats Of the New
York legislature supported ballot re-
form bill which embodied all the fea-
lures of the Australian system that
could have been adopted in accordance
with the constitution of the state. The
republicans, knowing their Saxton bill
TO be unconstitutional, refused to
amend it so as to avoid the constitu-
tional obj ctions to it which they knew
would bring q veto from the governor.
Therefore the republican tricksters of
the New York legislature not Gov
ernor Hill are responsible for the de-
feat of ballot reform in that state. As
for the bill before the New Jersey
legislature, it is true that it failed, but
the democrats of that state have taken
up the matter and Hon Leon Abbot,
their candidate for governor, endorses
the Australian ballot system in his let
ter Of acceptance and is making it one
of the important issues in the state
canvass
The Democratic legislature of Ind
lana at its last session passed bill es-
tablishing the Australian system of
voting in that state. The democratic
legislature of Tennessee did the same
thing last winter for that noble demo-
cratic commonwealth. The democra-
tic state of Kentucky is trying the ex-
pertinent in the city of Louisville. The
democratic state of Montana has fixed
the reform in its constitution. Such is
| the record Of the democracy on this
question as far as 1t has been made.
But how does the republican party
stand with regard to it? A single re-
publican state has adopted the Austria
Ian system, to-wit: Massachusetts,.
The republican governor of Connecti-
cut vetoed the Australian bill passed
by the legislature last winter on
grounds almost identical with those
taken by Governor Hill in his veto of
the Saxton bill. The only change in
the election laws Of Connecticut to
which this republican governor would
agree was to require the voter TO put
his ticket in an envelope furnished by
the state and TO do this in private.
aNot one of the essential features of the
Australian system. would he suffer to
be inserted in the election law. In nc
other republican state has any ballo,
reform bill thus far had a ghost of a
show. In not one of the three new re.
publican Northwestern states was this
principle of ballot reform inserted IN
the state constitution as was done in
the new democratic state of Montana
Iu Pennsylvania the idea of ballot
reform is laughed to scorn by the ma
chine politicians who control the coun
ellis of the republican party. The ef
forts of the ballot reformers last winter
to get their bill considered by the re
publican legislature were utterly futile
As early as January "a the bill wa'
read in place in the House. 1t wa
held in committee until March lS, near
lly two months. On March 26 it wa
laid aside for second reading. Nothing
was done with it until April IL see
Legislative Record p. 1,4l2], wher
Mr.. Baker, of Delaware, moved u
make it "a special order for second
reading on Tuesday, April 16, at
o'clock, p. m, and for third reading
and final passage, on Thursday, Apri
i18, at IL a. IN. This motion wa
voted down; yeas SO; nays 80. Messrs
Caffrey and Farrell, labor leaders, and
the democrats generally, voted yea
the HON. HENRY KLINE BOYER
Speaker, voted NAY. Thus ballot re
form was throttled. choked, asphyxiat
ed, in a republican house of representa-
tives, led by the present republican
nominee for State Treasurer. In view
of this officially recorded and indispu
table fact, let the Philadelphia Press
be consistent enough either to cease its
advocacy of ballot reform or to with
draw its support from Henry X
Boyer. who at present constitutes the
republican state ticket
As for the democrats of Pennsylva
MIA, their position on the subject OF
ballot reform is broadly and clearly
defined. The democratic state plat
form on which HON. EDMUND A
BIGLER stands as the candidate fol
state treasurer, contains plank OF
which the Australian ballot reform ID
written in language that cannot be
mistaken. The declaration of the
democratic party through its state con
vention ia 80 unequivocal as to empha
size the failure of the republican state
convention to express itself on this sub
liect. The issue on this queation Of
ballot reform is fairly joined, with Mr.
Bigler standing on platform urging
its adoption and Mr.. Boyer standing
on his record of opposition to the
measure as the leader Of the house oi
representatives which killed it.