Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-04-04

In the State House OF Representatives
on Feb. 9th WAS introduced an act ire
lating to the holding of elections and
regulating the same" On March Sth it
was read a second time and referred to
the committee on Judiciary. This bill is
divided into twenty nine sections and
would take up about four columns in
the GAzETrE. 1t is intended to base
all general and special State elections and
municipal elections in this city on the
Australian ballot law, beginning January
lst next. We have carefully read all its
provisions and think its passage would
hA fo- tbn e-eat g2cd n ho"est "ie"''nHs
ia ...a .ss-. a9 san Lf!ly believe,
tc~eyer 49, whoever drew up the bill
was familiar with all the ballot laws al
ready passed in this country or under
discussion in tine Legislatures OF several
states, notably the old and the new Sax
ton bill in New YORK State, and the law
adopted by Indiana.
| AZ EVERY EVENING has already printed
| the Massachusetts, law word for word
and rs this act is very largely the same.
we will not criticise it section by section,
but merely cali attention 70 some changes
In it that Seem to us decidedly desirable,
recognizing at the same time that rather
Than endanger its passage, wa would
waive any or ali these objections. In the
first place Section requires that in order
20 make III official nomination political
party must have pooled at least Ave pc;
centum Of tho entire vote cast in the
State or any division thereof, or the citS
Of Wilmington OF any division thereof,
'et the election next preceding" Their
are several objections TO this. III,
requirement itssif IS Questionable, an,
even Il rot Questionable il too great
Suppose also that small party like Gu,
Prohibitipnists cast last November NOR
ihan five psE oeat for some Of their cgndi
iateS aud lees than bte per cant TO
o.heEs, wouid they then be entitled /
have their csniidstes' names printed o
/ the official hallot9 A certain caLdidAi
may have been popular or unpopult
! and run AHEAD or Tar behind the rest ur IL
ticket. Shsll the vote cast for populg
0r Au unpopular candidate ba the bias
Tor deciding this point Tael
) q no provision for suoh decision
As a matter Of fast ssohon ., would rul
: OUT tie PsohibitionisLs FROM having the
{ candidates nance printed On the ofiicl
= ballot in the next election, fot Instead
Z polling i've per cent they pulied on
. about per cent OF the total v1ta of 4
state. IL the Prohioitionista had tined
nominate by a nomination paper ias5eu
i Of certificate Of nomination fg5iu
i party convention they would Also La
dad hard tme last November, for sa
il lion 4 requires uunt paper to
/. signed By four huHd.so qnsiii
. yytsIB which Il more than 9Th
D. peeled III lhe whole State. again il won
!, JsYtroy tue secrecy Of tie ballot Tor t
"a whole present strength Of the Pruhion:
70 CT amy otter similarly smali party in Il
OF STATE, aineeit would requrotho l,gngtH
~ Of the whole party to mnse anomiuati,
q Even tho Uill for the great state OF N
hi York requires bat Ave hundred sig
~ tires to nominate state officer. In p
" pUytioH therefore fous hundred is ny
.At 90 high for Delaware. ia Austria
Of Where the law has been
d, force more than thirty years,
iat Old principle Of nomination an,
Is second 10 that nomination is all tia
lut s6quited, Under such law all t
in would be necessary would DO tbs sig
IN lures 81 the president aud secretary o
lea convention, or any other two mon '
ii. would be obliged 20 swear that the 10
ny nation VsA bona dde. From the /
ie5 alTeday passed q under discussion in
ln- country there Is au evident fear Of sut
ne simple provision ~ that Bat il
Ia worked perfectly in Australia, u
lie seldom being more than
Of nominations for any one Oh
CA tho practical comAun-sonsa Of cel
IA dates aad voters preventing suI
pot llu0us nominations Under the Ma
No sbusetA law. tho percentage is pu