Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-01-21
THE SECRET BALLOT.
Representative O'Neill Explains the Different Systems fE Use.

sembly we concluded that Representative O'Neill would not be wholly uniformed on that subject, and so our reporter ask ed for an interview.
 "Why, certainly, said Mir O'Neill when told what was wanted.
 Have you given any consideration to this question? said our reporter.
 ''As soon as I was elected" he replied, ''I began at once to read up all could find I read the Australian system, the essential features of which are that the government supplies voting card with the names of all candidates printed there on. The elector is furnished with one of these cards by an officer who places his initials thereon. The voter then places cross thus (X) against the name Of the candidate in whose favor he intends to cast the vote. The cards are destroyed as soon as the voting is done. It will be seen that under this system if one man voted on another mans name injustice would be done and there would be no remedy except to punish the fraud. It is said that canvassing under this system has almost entirely disappeared; though it is also said on the other side that there is so much individual independence in these new countries that those who vote care little for concealment.
 ''In Victoria the returning officer adds to his initials number corresponding to the voters number on the register, and the cards are preserved until after there has been a scrutiny, if required. It is said of this system that although any vote cast may be scrutinized, yet no com plaint has arisen from this cause. ''In Tasmania the chief peculiarity IS that the vote is not put directly by the voter into the box. The officer does it for him. This is intended as security against double voting, or voting with a Unofficial card, and also against the voter carrying away his card.
 'In England the names of candidates | are printed on white paper in alphabet l ical order. The voter makes cross op- posite the name of his candidate. The paper before being given out is marked 1 by the presiding officer on both sides with an official stamp The voters | number is placed on the ballot and also on the register so the vote may be identl- 1 fled on a scrutiny. A mark on the reg | ister shows that the voter has received an official ballot. The voter folds up l his paper so as to conceal his mark but l to show the stamp to the officer. The voter then deposits it in the box which 1 is locked and sealed and so constructed l that papers.cannot be withdrawn with out unlocking it. Papers inadvertently | preserving separately spoiled papers. 1 Voters incapacitated through blindness, l deafness or inability to read can have 1 the paper marked as the voter directs by l the officer who keeps record of the transaction. A voter who claims tC vote after another has voted on his name obtains green paper and tenders it, and this vote is kept apart. l A polling place must be provided for ev- erv one hundred and fifty voters. Agents
 of candidates may be present, but must 1 be sworn to secrecy, and are prohibited from interfering with the voter or induc, 1 ing him to show his vote. Votes are re | iected which want the official mark Ol
 on which votes are given for more can
 didates than the voter is entitled to vote
 for; or on whichany thing except the mum Der on the back is marked by which the l voter can be identified: or which are un
 marked or so marked that it is uncertain for whom the vote is given. On petl tion alleging a miscOuDt, wrongful yOt 1 ing or rejecting of a vote or bribery, the
 votes may be scrutinized. The judges | in England reject all votes with tritiine
 marks upon them, and this has caused | discontent. Some elections have beer
 lost because they atfix the officia stamp.
 "In France each voter presents carC | with his designation, date of birth anC signature to secure identity. This the presiding officer mutilates and the voter is given ballot with the names of the candidates thereon which he may vote
 or he may erase the name of any candi date and write another name thereon There is no secrecy about this method.
 Tn Piedmont and in Greece the
 legal voters alone are allowed
 into public halls and churches In Piedmont a stamped blue official pa per is handed to the voter and he may | write or get a friend to write the name of his candidate thereon. In Greece
 each candidate provides a box with two
 compartments and white and black balls
 are distributed. The voter stretches his 1 arm over a funnel and drops his ball in 1 to the compartment favorable or unfav.
 orable to the candidates as the voter likes.
 l About 1850 in Massachusetts the law provided for ballot with the names o1
 all the candidates printed thereon and
 an envelope. The voter indicated by
 marks in whose favor he intended tc
 cast the vote, which was then placed ir the envelope and deposited in the box
 After a short time this system was aban doned. More recently a system has beer
 adopted in Massachusetts which is very
 much like the plan which Mir Wolfe.
 bill follows. This law has only just beer
 enacted and so has not had trial yet.
 ''New York last year passed Mir Sex
 tons bill so called. This law did not g(
 into as until it was vetoed by Cover
 nor Hill. This bill has been again pre-
 sented in the New York assembly and i
 there pending now with some modified
 tion suggested by the governors veto
 Some of the important features of tn, bill are 7:
 1. No one can be candidate unles
 nominated by a certain per cent of tn,
 voters.
 ?. Polling places are provided for ever, 300 voters.
 3. The names of all candidates ar printed on one piece of paper at the ex
 pense of the government.
 : 4, The ballot is stamped and a registe
 is kept so that the vote may be identifie , and scrutinized if necessary.
 II The Chagnon Case. 7 Acting under instructions from Col 7 oner Mix, Medical Examiner Mort made post mortem examination of th