New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-03-16

already learned how this ysem lends itst 70 intimidation
ana corruption Now. Il ballots printed ana as
sibused at public expense the poll workers. oeeapsnon
would be gone There would DO 10 excuse for fsisns
enormous corruption funds Tho polling places
vau,d be Quiet and orderly because there
would DO no attraction for bummers ana
iosfers sn the peaceful progress OK pure election
The party machine woid be sorn o. IT'S most
powers II not entirely destroyed for whsn sse bnos are
printed ana distributed public instead Of private ex'
pensa independent meyemsats esa Do easily ogsnsed'
ami us sslusary check be placed upon the arrogance
and rspaeiy Of the "bossess
not AZ matter OF choice bpt Of ecmpulsioneeruDton
ana Intimidation viii be esnshed nom cur poa FOR
the voter will prepare his ballot In place which his en-
player cannot enter. where no promise OF menace or
ea,oIery can reach him with The responsibilities Of his
manhood sad his citizenship resting upon him in al their
soenn rsesnins WITH. scrunire bat that Of his
Maker and voice 70 spetk but that Of his conscience
SOME OF ITS SALIENT FEATURES.
assume that those before me have made themselves
familiar with the bill IN question 90 will not sttempt
10 20 into details Its salient points are as follows
l. Candidates 10 be nominated by party conven'
tons BY certain number Of electors and the ncrnna
tons made to be certified 10 those o1seers who
TO have charge OF printing the ballots
III. The OF all persons nominated are 70 be
published In newspapers and posted in election districts
some days before election 90 that the puSc may know
who ere TO be presented for their suffrage.
Ill The onacers designated for that purpose gro to
print ell ballots and deliver them the inspectors Of
eecuont all expenses 70 be . county charge.
Nv The names all candidates nominated fos o par.
sicuiar once ere be printed the ticket
grouped under the different paTty names
w. The ballots to be delivered 70 voters BY oeefs
provided for IN the BILL and no ballot can be valid
except an onaeisl ballot.
WI The voter receiving his ballot shalt retire to
booth alone, when he win indicate BY the name
the candidate group for whom he wishes to vote.
lie shall then fold his ballot 20 that one can asSer
tain how he votes and deliver IT 70 the inspector who
shall place IL IN the ballot boxes
This would TO be very harmless measure, but
those who oppose profess believe has 1t will shake
foundation Of the State It is to them fraught
with the deadly peril They In # ruin TO our
most cherished institutions
The chief objection the bill however. Is that the
officers charged with the duty Of printing and distributing
ballots may wuily carelessy fail 70 have het hand
for the use OF the voters This might be possible but
Is Il probahie7 We must confidence In our
llowmen. The presumption Is that those intsusted with
the power Will exercise It according 10 the forms OF law
Our whole Government rests upon that presumption II
pfobsbie thing that elected responsible posi-
lions win betrsy their trusts then the very foundations
Of The Republic undermined and society is rotten %
s The fact is that power Is delegated 70 men In
oica positions everywhere which, abused would bring
the most serious evils upon State. II election officers
should failed IN their duty at the last election the
VIII Of the American people might have been oefeaeed
nat the thought that such thing was possible never oven
occurred TO as And yet 10 Is made ground OF opposition
to tina reform bill particular officers may betray
their trusts and thus commit an unpardonable offence
against their fellow citizens. .
have treated the subject II this system were oil
experiment It long since passed beyond thas stage
The Australian colonies have tried IL with marked sue
cess for thirty years England and Belgium have car
sied on their elections under it since 1872 IL has been
operation Canada for several years The city OF
louisville has applied 1t 10 her municipal elections In
every case 1t has worked perfection. and the evs
that been predicted have failed 70 make their sp
pearance. $3.50.
The tickets have always been printed and distributed
no one destroyed suppressed them The booths
have never been blocked up that electors were pre-
vented from marking their bGllots In polling places
containing four booths from $50 70 200 votes have been
polled In hour And Of the votes poled, but the
very smallest fraction average perhaps of one 70
400 has been rejected because Of mistakes in marking
On the other hand the good results that were sntio
pa,ed have been fuzzy realized.
We may be that this proposed reform n destined
triumph already succeeded in Massachusetts,
and Indiana 1t is ciamorlng at the doors Of the Lsgs
latures in the States Of Connecticut Rhode Island,
New-Jersey, Ohio, Missouri and Colorado. The poll
tlcisn may not want It but the people demand it
MR. CRoSBY'S CLOSING REMARKS
After Mr.. Saxton had finished speaking. reso-
luton was offered and unanimously passed thank
ing him for his able address and pledging the
support of the members Of the Federal Club TO
the electoral reform measure Then MIR. Roose |
yelt introduced Ernest H. Crosby, who was |
warmly greeted. and said in part as follows:
When weeks ago. behalf Of the Federal Club,
invited Mr.. Saxton TO here promised him that
10 should make the only speech Of the evening" and
only going TO break my word for few minutes When
asked M saxson 70 come here did with the idea |
Of giving the members OF the Federal Club chance 10
get acquainted with MI Saxon, that when he 10 put
up for Lieutenant Governor Governor you know
what whoie-soued and able you voting for. |
Now, say something Of the line which you
may expect me travel You have here tonight
representative Of city ana country district Some
people 70 have idea that city representative
must be short thick set man, chewing tobacco, wearing
big watch chain loud suit Of clothes and silk hat and
holding Ia his mouth cigar which about eight inches
long anghter1 Now, that description does exaetly
1T The representatives from the country districts
accustomed to hear Of supposed TO be tall
ank men, with illntng clothes and hayseed In their
hair. Well, have known Mr. Saxton for some
years and have hayseed In his hair yet and
be does not chin Whiskers Mr. Saxton repre-
sents the best element IN the Republican party and
introduced bill In the Legislature for the reform
ballot. And want 70 say that there have been no
eaucuses held by the Republicans this bin
There is necessity for It Every Republican in the
Legislature win vote for it. without caucus Now Mr.
ssSton has disCeety left partsansD OF speech
but an not quite discreet and want to say that
am strong Republican partisan: and the reason that
am partisan is because such Republicans as Mr.
saxton Introducing such reform measures in the Lessa
tafe, and because Republicans supporting such re-
form measures.
Mr.. Roosevelt then made a few happy closing
remarks and the MEETING broke up
~
SETEHTEEN FAMILIES IN PERIL.
awrrr