The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1889-02-20

! proposed by him in the session of Legislat-
i've Council OF 1851, before representative
! government aud universal suffrage had
been granted TO South Australia In 1856
came the Constitution granting popular
representation and manhood suffrage.
| The measure became law, under the
name OF the elections act, in 1857. Soon
the aspect of elections was completely
changed Rios and disorder disappeared
entirely and the day of polling saw such
! quietness that n stranger would not real
ize that an election was going on. Intim-
idation 10y landlords and dictaton by
trades unions alike ceased. It's operations
have since been extended, so that now it
| applies to all elections alIke-municipal,
rural, and legislative-in the colony.
The system spread rapidly throughout
| Australia, and soon was heard of in Eng
land, where thoughtful men were
anxiously looking for some solution of
The problem of pure and tranquil cleo
tons In the elections OF 1868 matters
reached n climax, and March, 1869, saw
committee appointed, with the Marquis of
Harrington In the chair, TO inquire into the
existing methods Of conducting elections,
in order 10 provide further guarantees
for the tranquility, purity and freedom
Of parl Iamentary and municipal elections.
In 1870 the committee reported recom-
mendation that the secret ballot be
adopted. The fruit OF the movement was
the ballot act of 1872, based substantially
on the South Australian method, but modi-
fed, enlarged and carefully applied to
the circums tances of its new home. 1t ut
once commended itself to the PEOPLE, and
now covers almost the entire field of cleo
tions in Great Britain. Belgium and Nor
way soon adopted the secret ballot, and
Canada introduced it with success.
A number OF States ia this country
have taken steps toward the Introduction
of the system. In New York the first
steys were taken in 1887, during the win
ter of which the Commonwealth Club de-
voted several meetings to the failure of
he law to protect the sutfrdge. A COM
mittee was appointed to graft a bill,
which was joined by a like committee
from tho City Reform Club, and meas
ure was prepared which, after being APP
proved by the Commonwealth Club, the
Reform Cllb, the City Reform Club, and
the Labor party, was presented to the As
sembly about the IN ddle OF the session
of 1888, and was known as the
Yates bill. With similar bills it
was referred to the Committee on
Judiciary, and what was known as
the Yates-Saxton bill was reported and
sachusetts bill was presented and
passed in the Legislature of 1888. The
measure was defeated in Michigan through
the failure of the two b anches of the
Legislature TO agree. The Legislatures
of nearly every State now have measures
providing for the secret ballot before
them, and before many years il IL proba-
bic that the entire election machinery of
the country will have been reformed in
accot dance with the principles OF the
Australian method. The system has now
received the approval of the Legis-
latures of seventeen civil zed States, and
re gulates the elect ons of S5,O00,OOO peo-
pie.
The cardinal features of the system, as
everywhere adopted, age two: An arrange
ment for polling by which compulsory
secrecy of votilg is secured, and an OFF,
cial bal .ot containing the mes of ali can
didntes printed and di .tributed under
Strte or municipal authority. The secret
ballot checks bribery aud all those corrupt
practices which consist in voting accord
ing to bargain or und ersta lding. A
man Is not apt to place his money cor
ruptly when he can not satisfy himself
that the vote is according TO agreement.
The marking of the vote in secluslon
reaches effectively another great @ ass of
evils including violence and intimd ition,
improper influence, dictation by employ
ers or organiznt ons. the fear of Iidicule
or dislike, or OF social or commercial in-
jury. Tumult and disorder at he polls,
breaining and tr din of votes, and MI
questionable practices depending upon the
knowled 20 gained of the drift of the con-
test must DIS lppear. Another essential
feature OF the Anstrnl an system is the de-
velopmelt OF the traditional system Of
nomination in England and Austral a.
Now the only avenue 10 nm election seems
to "a through q nomination by q caucus or
convention. The proposed system en-
ables any bo7y OF cit zons of the nuLloer
prescribed by Jaw sometimes as low as