The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-09-27
BALLOT REFORM.
The True History of the
Last Legislatures
Action.
WHERE THE DEMOCRATS STOOD.
Gepublican Ballot Reform Talk
Was Really a Hollow
Sham.
WHERE THE DEMOCRATS STOOD.

Recently there has been a persistent
attempt on the part of the Republican
press to make it appear that Democratic
Legislature last winter was responsible
for the defeat of secret ballot at cleo
tions.
To ascertain the views of the Demo-
cratic majority of both Houses on this
question called on Senator Edwards for
Information.
The Senator Indignantly denied that
the Democratic majority was to blame,
and in the following interview shows
conclusively that with its customary dis
regard for the truth the Republican press
In this State is constantly misrepresent-
Ing the facts and truths of the question
of secret ballot, and the reason why we
have none
THE BILL INTRODUCED.
sKane, of MiddleseX, introduced the
Kane bill or the Australian system in the
House, and it passed by good majority"
said the Senator, land it received some
Republican votes.
'fThe objectof this bill was to secure the
secrecy of the ballot, so that votes could
be deposited apart from any influence,
the theory being that 1t would prevent
the buying of votes.n
''Was the bill thoroughly discussed,
Senator?" | enquired.
"Yes: and the debate showed that in
some counties Camden, Cape May, Mid
dlesex and Passaic-there had been o
custom of wholesale purchase OF votes,
and that in other counties the Republican
manufacturers and bosses walked their
employees to the ballot box, handed them
ballot and saw that it was deposited
The bill went from the House to the
Senate and was referred to the Com
mittee on Elections. A number of meet
ings were held to discuss the bill and
were attended by President Gates, of
Rutgers College, and Herbert Boggs,
questions about the bill and showed u
: surprising lack Of knowledge of the act
they advocated; they absolutely knew
nothing of the proposed system.
"Did the Kane or Australian bill apply
TO all elections?"
THE SUBSTITUTE BILLS.
eyes, to all; national, State, county and
municipal. and as 1t was an entirely new
thing the Democratic Senators were eau
tious about adopting it. They looked for
some remedy not so radical but that
would prove equally effective, and finally
drafted q bill as a substitute which IN
every respect was ballot reform bill.
.Tt provided for the absolute seclusion of
voters while preparing their ballots and
casting them. and from the time the
voters entered the polling booth until
they left, gave them absolute seclusion
from the danger of being approached.
This bill provided for the secrecy of the
ballot, prevented corruption and intimi-
dation, was simple in it's provisions, in
expensive in its operation and would have
worked practical reform.
1T was not SO elaborate as the Kane
bill, but would have accomplished all
that bill proposed doing"
NWhat sort of ballots did the Kane bill
demand?" asked
LISTEN" said the Senator. sit provided
that the only ballots issued should be
printed by the State; it prevented illiterate
people from consulting with their friends
before going to the polls and would have
worked great injustice where tickets con-
tanned great many names.
Why, it would have been confusing to
an educated man. A sample ticket from
a North Hudson county township was ex-
hibited during debate. There were four
parties represented on the ticket, or 1872
names, out of which the voter was ex-
pected to make choice.
THE Democratic Senators recognized
the fact that this system had not been
tried to any great extent In America, and
that q less radical change would accom-
plish all that was sought to be done by
The Australian or British system.
THE DEMOCRATIC IDEA.
ffThe object of the Democratic party
has always been to have elections as
simple and unfettered by detail as posi-
BILE, and not dependent too much upon
the election officers holding the elections
and counting the votes.
'The Senate bill passed the Senate, and
was voted for by all the Democrats and
some Republicans. 1t was killed in the
House by the Republicans, with the aid
of two or three Democrats, who insisted
on the Kane bill or nothing.
1t was an open secret at Trenton that
the Republicans did not want the Kane
bill at all. and that they only voted for it
TO put the Democrats in q hole. The Sc
quel proved this to have been their object,
when, by a strictly party vote in the
House, they refused to sanction a great
reform for which they pretended to be
Il. rtrac.