The Springdale news., 1889-01-04
ELECTION REFORM.

Elections and Secure Pure and Un-
 trammeled Franchise to Every Citizen.
 and to be Presented for the Approval of
 the Legislature of Indiana.
 INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Dec. 31.-A commit- tee of the Senate and House has for some time had the matter of reform in the elec- ion laws f,the State under consideration, and has now prepared draft of bill which it will have presented'in the Legis- lature as soon as possible after the ses- sion opens, and which the Democratic caucus will certainly make party meas- ure. The majority of Democrats in both houses is so large that there is no doubt. the bill will be quickly passed, and under the circumstances there can be as little, doubt that Governor Hovey will sign it.
 The bill to some extent is patterned after the Australian law. It will make. election day legal holiday, and in this, manner will seek to close up all manu- featuring and similar establishments, and to prevent, as far as possible, interfer-- ence by employers with the opportuni-. ties of their employees to reach the polls.- The present law as to election officers will be re-enacted. It gives to each of the leading parties judge and clerk, and the party in power an inspector. The ticket will be continuous ticket, all the candidates for all the offices being printed on a single slip of paper under headings indicating by which party each is placed in nomination. The names of the, candidates of each party will also be- distinguished by being printed in a differ ent colored ink from those of the other. parties-Democrats, for instance, being printed in black, Republicans in red, Prohibitionists in blue, and so on. The voter, should he desire to vote a straight. ticket of any party, simply indicates his. choice by putting cross mark opposite the name of that party. If he desires to scratch his ticket or vote mixed ticket he will put cross mark opposite the name of each person toI whom he desires to- vote. The law will provide for five closets or booths, eheaply constructed, in which the voter will go prepare his ticket. He. will get his ticket from the election in- spector, who will be provided with them by the county clerk in a sealed package, the expense of printing them having been defrayed by the county and State.
 The law contemplates small precincts, averaging about two hundred voters to each poll.
 Ne person but the inspector will be per- mitted to have q ticket in his possession. except for the purpose of voting it, no matter from where he obtains it. A heavy penalty is provided for the violation of this section. In preparing his ballot, should he spoil it by making mistake in marking it or otherwise, the spoiled tick ct must be returned to the inspector, who. will have to account for all the tickets that have been given to him. Five min-. utes will be allowed to each person in which to prepare his ticket. Any voter who may be unable to prepare his ballot himself can have it done for him as he. may direct by any one of the election off cers. As soon as all the tickets are count ed and a return is made to the county or city clerk upon tally sheet, the tickets will be destroyed. There can be no re- counts nor any tam?ering with the bal lots after the election is over.
 4 distance flag will be placed within fifty feet of the polls oa each side, and noa person, except the voter and election off, cers, will be allowed to come nearer than the flag to the polls. Each party may have an official challenger, who will be- permitted to go up as far as the voting place to make a challenge. In case of a. voter being challenged he will be com- peled to make an affidavit as to his place of residence, the length Of time he has lived in the State, county, city, ward and as to his occupation and where he pursues it. If the challenger persists, the voter will then have to be sworn ill by 8 resi- dent freeholdeT or two resident household CTS. By the present law only freeholder can swear in a vote.
 4 registration feature similar to that in vogue in most States, will be incorporated into the law. Indiana now has no regis tration system. Bribery under the new law will include the purchase of mans vote, paying money or other consldera- tion to him for staying away from the polls, or sending an employe away so. that he shall not be able to vote The penalty for bribery will be Imprisonment for less than two years and ine1glbillty to hold office for double the time of inn prisonment, but only the person who buys the vote is liable to this penalty and no. provision will be made for the punish ment of the man who sells his vote.
 Death ot Mrs. Major Geueral Schoii eld.
 WASHINGTON, Dec. 3l.-Ths wife of Major General John NJ. Schofeld in com mand of the army of the United States, died yesterday morning at the Richmand flats in this city. Mrs. Schofeld has not been in good health since her arrival in Washington some months ago. The at. tack of illness which resulted ill her death was, however, unexpected. She had been suffering from heart disease, complicated with nervous trouble. Saturday night she had a severe attack, and three of the late General Sheridan's physicians-Dr. Yar- row, Surgeon O'Reilly, U. $. A., and Dr.. Lincoln-were called in. They were un- able to do any thing for the patient. and she died yesterday morning between five and six o'clock.
 Mrs. Schofeld was the daughter of Prof. Bartlett, formerly professor of