Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1889-02-21

proposed by him in the session of Legislat-
i've Council of 1851, before representative
government and universal suffrage had
been granted to South Australia. In 1856
came the Constitution granting popular
representation and manhood suffrage.
The measure became n law, under tho
name of the elections act, in 1857. Soon
the aspect of elections was compile. ely
changed. Riot and disorder disappeared
entirely, and the day of polling saw such
quietness that a stranger would not real
ize that an election was going on. Intim-
id Ition by landlords and dictation 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 tranq Ill cleo
tions. In the elections of 1868 matters
reached a climax, and March, 1862 saw q
committee appointed, with the Marquis of
Harrington in the chair, to inquire into the
existing methods of conducting elections,
in or,ler 10 provide further guarantees
~for the tranquility, purity and freedom
of parliamentary and municipal elections. "
In 1870 the committee reported recon-
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 lnodi-
fed, enlarged and carefully applied to
the circumstances of its new home. 1t at
once commended itself to the people, and
now covers almost tho 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 in this country
have taken steps toward the introduction
Of the system. In New York the first
sters we're taken in 1887, during the win
ter of which the Commonwealth Club de-
voted several meetings 10 the failure of
the law to protect the suffrage. A COM
mittee was appointed to draft bill,
which was joined by like committee
from the City Reform Club, and O meas
ure was prepared which, after being ap-
proved by the Commonwealth Club, the
Reform Club, the City Reform Club, and
the Labor party, was presented to the As
sembly about the middle 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
passed, but was vetoed by Gov. Hill. In
Massachusetts, bill was presented and
passed in the Legislature OF 1888. The
measure was defeated in Michigan through
the failure of the two branches 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 it is proba-
BILE that the entire election machinery oI
the country will have been reformed in
accordance with the principles of the
Australian method. The system has now
received the approval of the Legis-
latures of seventeen civilized States, anC
regulates the elections of S5,OOO,O0O peo-
pie.
The cardinal features of the system, al
everywhere adopted, are two: An arrange.
ment for polling by which compulsor,
secrecy of voting is secured, and an Off.
cial ballot containing the names of all can.
didates printed and distributed undel
State or municipal authority. The secre
ballot. checks bribery and all those corrupt
practices which consist in voting accord
ipg to bargain or understanding.
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 seclusior
reaches effectively another great class o.
evils, including violence and intimidation
improper influence, dictation by employ
ers or organizations, the fear OF ridicul,
or dislike, or OF social or commercial in
Jury. Tumult and disorder at the polls
bargaining and trading Of votes, and al
questionable practices depending upon tn
knowledge gained of the drift Of the con
test must disappear. Another essantia
feature Of the Australian system is the de
velopment Of the traditional system o
nomination in England and Australia
Now the only avenue 10 an election seem
TO be through a nomination by caucus o
1 convention. The proposed system en-
ables any body Of citizens OF the numbe
prescribed BY law (sometimes as low AZ