Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-02-15

On motion Of Mr.. Chadbourne Of Bidde-
ford-Bill an act TO incorporate the Water
vile Loan. Trust and Safe Deposis Com
psny.
On motion Of Mr.. Barker Of Bangor.
Resolve 10 favor Of the State Reform
School.
On motion Of Mr.. Warren Of Castine,
Resolve relating TO The purchase Of certain
volumes of Maine Reports
RE-TABLED.
On motion of Mr.. Nanley Of Augusta.
Bill an act 10 provide Board of Resi,tra-
tion of Voters In cities, and amend chap
of the Revised Statutes in reference thsreun-
Go, vas taken from the table, read twice. and
tabled pending It's third reading.
SPECIALLY AssiesED.
Bill an act relating to havksrs and peddiers
uas read ,zics. and pending its third reaiing
uas tabled and assigned to Tuesd ~ Of next
week, on motion Of Mr.. Sprasus OF Dexter.
On motion Of Mr.. Warren of Castine,
Bill an act 10 restore the compensation OF
the County Commissioners Of the eoanty OF
Somerset. was taken from the table and
Tuesday Feb. 10. assigned for its considera-
ton.
On motion Of Mr. pattangali Of Pembroke.
Resolve in favor Of the town of LittietoD
vas taken from the table and assigned to
Friday, Feb. Is, at II O'Clock A. NJ
Mr. Looney moved To take from the table
Heuee document IS. bill an act ~ provide
for printing and distributing ballots at the
public expense and to regulate voting for
State and city elections, with the accompany
ipg committee reports, and moved TO SUB
$, tute the minority report for the majority
eport.
ar Looney said that the so-called Aus
traiian bill was IN substance the ballot biIi
that was enacted by the last legislature OF
Massachusetts, and that il had been called
By the friends of the ballot reform he most
important legislative achievement ~ hr r'r
AID the mott comprehensive and iT'r.ts E
adoption of the Australian and Eug - -
tenn TO the American needs that has yet been
devised. Fow this DILL provides IN 'g3-
stance a. follows First that the bi lsts ,lal!
be printed bs the state, that none but these
ballots shall be used, and upon the ballots
are to be printed the nominees whether by
convention or petition, At least fourteen days
prior TO the election. The ballots are to De
distributed by paid ballot clerks for the ia4me
date aud actual use Of the voter. Having
obtained a ballot the voter reiires To com
pirtment which is conveniently arranged anu
marks hi. choice of the names of the csadi-
dates or If hs desires he writes out the can
dldates instead OF those which are printed
upon the ballot and having done
this, without exposing the tao
Of the ballot, and without commu-
nica,ing with anyone, he proceeds at once
to the ballot boz, and deposites his ballot.
For the convenience Of those who can not
read or write. or for the blind, such voter
can call 10 his assistance, one of the sworn
ballot clerks, who reprs sent both Of the poit-
zeal parties and are sworn to secrecy an
fidelity The secret ballot is more in haruno-
ny with the spirit of our constitution AMI the
genius Of republican Institutions than any
other. Our. il a government based not upon
wealth or hereditary distinction. but upon
MANHOOD, upon the unlimited suf ag' of the
million In theory at least, every man
Is equal before the law, and has eqnu power
at the ballot box, and this was proportion
which he thought would be admitted l. IN
sheet anchor of the American democrsny
Mr. Looney contended that the ballot VII ch
il now provided for by law, is not rec"xoi
ton of a mans int, geuce, liberty and re-
sponslbility. IL Is not an instrunie / by
which man can advocate and project his
rights, a ballot prepared not by the voter
but by the party organization and the voter
casts his ballot under the
fear and under the shadow
of intimidation, under the fear of
political and social ostracism or ruin. The
secret ballot is so guarded that man can
vote according to the dictates of his own
conscience, intimidation il impossible. ms
bill will make bri )ery and Intimidation I'M
possible. Bribery is fast becoming the 6ane
of American institutions, the percentage OF
men who are bought OF at elections is be
coming larger. and the assessment OF candi-
lates for corruption purposes IS becoming
greater each year. Corruption and bribery
are not practiced so much in the state OF
Maine as in other states of the Union, but
Maine is not altogether free from these per-
nj ious practices. 1t is a fact that so cor
rupt have become elections in Maine ami
other States OF the Union, 50 like cancer
has bribery eaten into the body polite OF
this country that n drastic rene y ia needed
for our institutions. A ballot like the one
proposed, wherever it has been tried, has
diminished bribery 10 "A marked extent, for
the briber can have no assurance IN secret
ballot that the bargain between him aud the
brbed can be carried out. Such ballot
has practically killed bribery wherever it
has been tried. IL has killed it in
Australia and ia England, aud has di-
diminished to a marked extent in Canadr. 1t
was tried last April in Louisville. kentucky,
in the municipal election. 1t was admitted
that in no city in the Union had bribery been
so shamelessly aud openly practiced as in
that city, in spite of all the laws Of the STATE
of Kentucky for punlshIug bribery, but uu-
der the administration of this la" providing
for secret ballot,lbribery and corruption
entirely disappeared in the municipal cleo
lions in Louisville last April. The same re-
suits were attained under similar ballot bill
in Milsaukee. Wis. and it was the tiEst cleo
ton in Milwaukee for twenty years that had
not been carried by bribery and corruption, II
was not unreasonable to make the assertion
that if the secret ballot destroyed 1abery in
Australia and England and diminished It in
Canada and entirely eradi ated Il IN Mil
waukee, that it will have an effect IN tins
State The third point which M honey
made was the extent of political as. ms
The assessment OF candidates who are up tor
political office are becoming larger aid
larger and soa poor man unable to pay
blood money is debarred from holding public
tiuus in the country are fast be-
coming monpolies of wealthy men. Nov a
bill like this makes the government pay the
legitimate expenses of the election and will
in a marked degree eliminate this evil.
Another feature of this bill Bribery is in
directly prscticed by wealny candidate
hiring thirty or forty men of the ofpo lite
party to distribute ballots on the day of elec-
ton. and the money paid III IN for dlsribu
tirg these ballots is practically paid Tor their
votes. This law provides that no m an shall
distribute ballots excep the paid bslio c.,rks,
and this will in marked degree eliminate
this evil. Next the question of eau
Gus; Under the provisions of bill
like this man can enter his protest against
caucus packing without fear of intimidation
and il provides that the nominees Of u res
pectablc minority will be placed upon the
ballot with the caucus nominees. IL vii be
a great bene tit not only TO the election out to
the caucus. and will ihros safeguard on the
as it throws q safeguard Oh ,he eltc
ton. Mr. Looney took up the pplats thst
were urged in opposition TO this oil. Be
cause it implies tina, the evils IF bribery,
and caucus packing exist, 1t was
not an insult to the manhood oil
the State. II would not be cou-
tended that the temperance peuple
insult the manhood of this State b,cause
they came there and demanded more lesi,ls-
uon and better enforcement of the existing
laws for the prohibition of the liquor tiaitic,