The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1889-12-28
IMPROVING ELECTION nErHODs.

Washington, Dec. 19.-I was talking
to-day with a prominent Democratic
lawyer and politician Of New York
CITY. who advanced some rather orig
inal views in reference to the Saxton
or Ballot Reform bill, which was pass
ed By the Legislature at Albany Ind
vetoed BY Gov. Hill. This embodies
the principle Of the Autralian ballot
system which you in Tennessee call
the Dorteh law.
4Injure himself with the intelligent
Democracy by yetoing the Chinese
Puzzle Electoral Bill Of Mr.. Saxton ?
Why, my dear fellow, there is not an
intelligent Democrat in the State Of
New York who would not consider
him an ass to sign that bill. Now Gov.
Hill isn't the brainiest man In the
world, but when it comes down to par
ty Organization and to the manifold
details of an election, Gov. Hill has the
levelest head in the State. He knows
exactly the effect the Saxten bill would
have. Did it never glimmer through
the darkness that enshrouds the intel
lecss Of somc big Democratic editors
outside of New York, that this bill
was introduced by Republican and
supported by Republicanss Well, dc
you believe, or does anybody but
cranks believe that the Republicans
are so anxious to reform the ballot
that they would get hurt to accom-
plish It? know, and every politician
In New York knows, that the reform
idea in the Saxton bill is mere bub-
BILE on the surface. Underlying this Is
struggle for party advantage, and
Gov. Hill Is for the fellows that get up
his clambake every time.
"Some high-laced independent pa
pers like the Herald are for the Aus
tralian system. But just look at the
bsttle-scsrred Sun. 1t is dead down
on it. The Sun does not say 90, but
they are opposed to II because 1t would
lay the Democratic party on stretch
or and in an ice-pack. The reason
why Is too plain to talk about. 1t IL
this, but / am talking sub rosa and II
you say said so Ill denounce you as
lying informer. The great bulk Of
the Democratic strength in New York,
Brooklyn, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany
and Buffalo is IN the Irish vote. Oh
! rather, l should say, that the bulk Of
this vote is Democratic. 1t Is this vote
that has given US our majority. Now
the passage of this Australian bill
means loss Of 10000 votes in Now
York and Brooklyn and about 10,00(
in all the rest Of the State. The Re
publicans will lose q little Of course
It would clip Johnny O'Brien's wing
considerably in the Eighth in New
York. But al in all 1t would be mel
loss Of about $4,000 votes In the whole
State, for there IL this number of voter
chiefly Irish, who cannot read, bu
who are unsworving Democrats.
"Of course, know we make grea
row about the coercion of factor,
hands by the Republicans. But thi
is small, because the various laborini
organizations In the last few years hav,
pretty nearly put an end to this. Thi
new system will stop bribery. and her
Is our own hope. What effect this will
have | cannot guess. 1t is uncertain
and Gov. Hill is wise In not believing
that 1t will gain us as much as 1t will
lose. Mr.. Cleveland Is making th
welkin ring for ballot reform. III
may know his own business bette
than |. lie has q dead cinch--exous
the slang, but II covers the case exact
ly-on the nomination in 1892.
don't want him, New York don't wan
| 1t, but the South and West are goinI
to force him on us. This being SO, b
will have to get through without New
York If the Saxten Bill becomes law
l can also give you another pointer
If Gov. Hill doesn't sign the bill thi
, winter, he feels he has good chanc
to be nominated If he does, you ma
know he has given up hope, and
letting Mr.. Cleveland make the bed b
is to lie on.
But when 1t docs pass you will wi
ness just what you saw In Boston
few days ago. A dead safe Demt
cratic town goes dead against reg,
, lar Democratic nominee, and he |
good man and officer as you coul
find. Whyp He lost thousands {
good Democratic votes because of !
,, literacy. This may be all right In Ii
: West--in fact, l believe, there Il
illitcracy Is about evenly divided an
the bribery all on one side. 1t is ju
what you need in the South. 81
/. goodbye to Democratic majorities
New York and Connecticut when u
Australian system of balloting
= adopted In those States"
l A ballot bill embracing most Of tl
u features of the Australian system hI
been introduced in the Virginia Lcgi
= lature. That is a good movement.
U all the Southern States should tn
q winter adopt good ballot bill--su'
y as that one, for instance, which Go
I Hill vetoed in this State, or such
that which has just had its first su
/ cessful trial in Massachusetts,
!. would disarm and disappoint the R
IL publican politicians who are urgir
federal control over elections, on
y whose real object Is to aflre the Sout
y ern heart" anew, and by maintainil
= "solid South" to keep up also, VIII
a they depend on, "solid North"
Senator Chandler has just prescntl
in the Senate federal election bl
II ought to be entitled "bill to excl
hatred of the Republican party in Il
South and keep the South solid."
Mr.. Chandler agrees with Mr.. Gr
dy, of Atlanta, that "a solid Sou
4, makes solid North" His plan mi
q be regarded as the cheap and mas
!. way of keeping the Republican par
a in power. It Is sure to fail if 4
"a Southern States adopt such an electi'
4 law as that which Massachusetts, b
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