The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-10-05

day was the fact that the vote was
taken under the terms Of ballot law
adopted from Australia. The peculiar
ity of this law is that the voter deposits
his ballot in secrecy, and not IA at our
polling booths, before the general pub
lie. He enters the. room where the
Judges OF election sit, receives ballot
on which is marked the number oppo-
site his name on the list, this number,
however, being concealed on the ballot
by the end of the paper being pasted
down over it. The voter retires to an
ad iacent room, strikes of the ballot the
names of those he does not wish to sup
port. returns to the apartment OF the
Judges. deposits his vote, and retires'
being succeeded by another voter. All
this seems tedious and cumbrous, but II
eirectually acccmpishes the purpose OF
securing secrecy.
Why this law should have been
adop:ed in Montana. the hrst OF the
States in which 1t has been put 10
operation. we believe, is not mentioned
in the account Of the late elections. Prob
ably as a new community with all the
laws OF the English-speaking people to
draw from to form its own constitution
this appeared the most excellent eiec-
ton law that could be selected
We believe that this law will finally
be adopted throughout the North
Some such law is growing more ana
more necessary In all the manufactur-
inc districts of that section to ensure an
absolute freedom OF choice and action
on the part of employees and opera
tives. AS the case stands at present
tho vorkingmen in the mills and fac
tories of the North are much more I'M
dor the personal control Of their en-
olorers than the various laborers and
hangers-on of an English landed estate
are with respect to its owner Inc
Northern workingmen are naturally
dominated to very great degree by
their dependence On the manufacturer
who employ them. This domination
would undoubtedly he very much les
sened by the adoption of the Australian
ballot law, and its operation would
yerv probably remove many OF the
electoral evils at the North that deman'
| immediate remedy.
The Australian ballot law would moi
be of equal benefit TO the South De
curse with us everything that tends t
contract negro suffrage, which so large
ily composes our voting power is al
advantage and not a drawback. Th'
effect OF the adoption Of the Australian
ballot law by the Southern States woul'
b.. if its operation was not obstructed
m snlarge the volume Of negro suffrage
The negro. if left to vote i'll secrecy
would vote precisely as he does in pub
lic-that is. against his employee -anC
rho ;nterests from which he draws IN
livelihood, and upon which the pros
neritv Of the community rests. In
nassage of such law would put a
end to bribery. for no one would trust
man. whether white or black, to vot
AZ he is bribed TO 90, if he was not KEEP
directly under the eye and influence Q
the briber. The man venal enough l
| sell his vote for money, is false enoug
in nature to break his word, howeve
solemuly pledged. Under the operation
of this law, every form OF Iepeatin
would be detected, an inestimable ad
vantage. for repeating is one OF tn
worst evils with which allthe Am erica
electoral systems have to contend
If negro suffrage were restricted o
the negro population in our midst d
minished by emigration, we believ
that the Australian law would I
adopted in this quarter of the repubii
at an early day, for there are no peopl
more anxious to throw every safeguar
around the purity Of the ballot than tn
Southern people. If the franchise Ia
been occasionally tempered with her
and there in the South it is due 10 thos
abnormal and extraordinary condition
which they did not create and VINO
they could not otherwise control, nov
ever essential to the prosperity, an
even to the existence, OF the con
munity.