The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1889-11-01
Ballot Reform.

The Philadelphis Press with an su-
dscity that puts to shame the boldness
of the ordinary campaign falsifier, as
serts that the Democratic party is op-
posed TO ballot reform and that the Re-
publican party is struggling with might
and main to accomplish it, or words to
that effect. 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.
Blu. Governor Hill vetoed the SaxIon
bill on constitutional grounds and the
Democrats Of the New York Legisla-
ture supported q ballot reform bill which
embodied all the features of the Autra-
lian system that could have been
adopted in accordance with the Consti-
tuition Of the State. The Republicans.
knowing their Saxton bill to be uncon-
stitutioDal, refused to amend it so as to
avoid the constitutional objections to it
which they knew would bring a veto
from the Governor Therefore the Re-
publican tricksters OF the New York
Legislature mot Governor Hill) are re-
sponsible for the defeat OF ballot reform
IL that State. AS for the bill before the
New Jersey Legislature, It is true that
1t failed. b1t the Democrats of that
State have taken up the matter and
Hon. Leon Albeit, their candidate for
Governor, endorses the Australian bal
lot system in his letter Of acceptance
and is making it one OF the important
issues in the State canvass.
The Democratic Legislature of India
ma at its last session passed bill estab-
fishing the Australian system of voting
in that State. The Democratic Legis-
lsture of Tennessee did the same thing
vii hat Dapannrafin
Commonwealth. The Democratic State
OF Kentucky is trying the experiment
In the city of Louisville. The Demo
cratic State Montana has fixed the re-
form in its constitution. Such is the
record of the Democracy on this ques-
tiou as far as it has been made. But
how does the Republican party stand
with regard to it a single Republi-
can State has adopted the Australian
system, to-wit Massachusetts,. The
Republican Governor of Connecticut
vetoed the Australian bill passed by the
Legislature last winter on grounds al
most Identical with those taken by Gov
ernor Hill IN his veto Of the Saxton bill.
The only change in the election LAVE 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. Not one of the essential fea-
lures Of the Australian system would
he suffer to be inserted in the election
law. In no other Republican State has
any ballot reform bill thus far had q
show. In not one OF the three new Re-
publican Northwestern States was this
principle of ballot reform inserted as in
the new Democrat State of Montana.
In Pennsylvania the idea of ballot re.
form is laughed to scorn by the machine
politicians who control the councils Of
the Republican party. The efforts OF
the ballot reformers last winter to get
their bill considered by the Republican
Legislature were utterly futile. AS
early as January "a lhe bill was read IN
place in the House. Ii was held in COM
mittee until March IS, nearly two |
months. On March 20 it was laid aside !
for second reading. Nothing was done !
with it until April u (see Legislative |
Record, +. 1,413), when Mr.. Baker, of /
Delaware, moved 70 make it "a special |
order for second reading on Tuesday,
Apri! 16, at O'Clock y. m, and for /
third reading and final passage.
on Thursday, April IS, at II a. NJ. - /
This motion was voted down yeas. 60 : I
nays, SO. Messrs. Csffrey and Farrell, /
labor leaders, and the Democrats gen !
orally, voted yea the Hon. Henry \
Kline Boyer, Speaker, voted ndg. Thus 4
ballot reform was throttled. checked, /
asphyxiated, in a Republican House of 1
Representatives, led by the present Re- i
publican nominee for State Treasurer. /
In view or this officially recorded and ,
indisputab!e fact, let the Philadelphia I
Press be consistent enough either to
cease its advocacy OF ballot reform or
to withdraw its support from Henry X. |
Boyer, who at present constitutes the
Republican State ticket.
As for the Democrs is OF Psnnsyl- |
vania, ther position on the subject of /
oallos reform Is broadly ana Clearly de-
hned. The DemOcratic State platform 4
on which Hon. Edmund a. Bieler /
stands as the candidate Tor State Treas
urer. contains a plank on which the 4
ballot reform Is written in |
language that cannot be mistaken.
The declaration OF the Democratic par /
ty through its State Convention is so
as to emphasize the failure /
of the Republican State Convention to l
express itself on this subject The Is> 4
sue on this question of ballot reform is /
fairly joined, with Mr.. Bigler standing |
on platform urging rs adoption and /
Mr.. Boyer standing on his record OF |
to the messurs as the leader
OF the House OF Representatives which |
killed it.-HdrriSJlrg Patriot.