New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-17
Diamond Rivieres.
Howard g. Co.,
Fifth Avenue.
THE OFFICIAL BALLOT.
IT'S PRESENT EXPEDIENCY CONSlDEkED'

GOVERNOR HILLS OPPOSITION TO 1T AS UN'
| OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES IN OTHER STATES.
| To me razor Of The Tribune
Sir: Your Albany correspondent has pubiished
portion of an interview with me upon the suDjeoV Vi
Ballot Reform. As he has in that way opened one
phase OF the subject, you WILL perhaps allow hie "
state my views a little more clearly
It seems to me that in great deal that IS said anu
written upon this subject. the means to the emu %
considered rather than the end which is sought. "hao
is sought is to put an end corruption and lntimda-
tion This of course, is to be obtained by securing
an absolutely secret ballot that no one can KNOW
how the voter votes and the corrupt voter inhse"
cannot take with him from the polls anything "
prove what ballot he cast and thereby secure Ills pay
The official ballot socalled, is the means proposeo
as best adapted to secure the end IL does not aoso
IutcIy secure secrecy, but 1t Is beyond all quesuo
the hest means TO that end, and 1t Is thng WHICH,
a II seems to me- no good citizen ought to cease 10
strive for.
Rut Governor Hill stands upon the record as op-
nosed TO the exclusively official ballot ana TIC has
based his opposition, not only upon the erouio VI
expedlency but upon tho assertion that such oaio
Is unconstitutional Such being his oplhlon-anu w
are bound to accept his statement OF lt-iie can NC
hardly expected TO stultify himself by signing OH
which requires an official ballot. Were ms grouhus
OF objection other than those OF consuuuohanN'
can well imagine that, in view OF inc s"c"e'" "
nuIic opinon as now devcloped-an opinion no longer
confined to Republicans and Reformers out a'o"1u
bv large numbers of prominent Democrats-he woulu
be glad to yield his opinion, even II tie rcsui' 1t
Massachusetts, and elsewhere, has not leu MN ~
change H. But IL can hardly be expected that nc
will sign an act which he believes TO be uhconsV'u
tionaI and as to which he has expressed hirnse pun
Iicly There are good lawyers, am sorry u say
who concur with him in this opinion
Under this condition of things, is 1t wise for le
RenubIicans to say: We will have bill with inc
o,c,rsivolv official ballot in it, or will have none
and tins to prevent any improvement In our ballot
law so long as he, or those agreeing with mm' re-
main in power? 1t seems to me that IL Is possioio
TO frame law which, while not making the ohciat
ballot obligatory, WILL by the application OF stringent
provisions in other respects go very far toward
ing secrecy OF ballot and enable us at once 10 euuoe
very greatly If cannot eradicate, the evil Oh COT
ruption and intimidation.
T had occasion, a year or so ago, 10 examine t'e
laws Of other States. and to make collection Oh pro
visions from them which it seemed to me coulo DC
simultaneously introduced into our statute la"9'
whether we had an Official ballot or not, but WHICH
would be especially useful where the obligatory omoti
ballot does not exist Among these provisions t"a'
occur N me now are these: FOrbidding any person
IN remove any ballot from any polling place before
the closing Of the polls forbidding any voter 10 sno"
his ballot after is marked otherwise prepared lo
vn,inp. fOrbdding any voter 70 marx MS DdIo' III
such way that il could be identified; forblddns any
nerson other than the election officers 10 be or 10
remain in the room in which the ballotboN Is placed
or within say fifty feet of the entrance of such room
with the provso of course, that it does not eAcuoe
rconle being in their rooms in the same or adlaceho
hiIdinc in pursuit of their ordinary business, but so
rIaced that they cannot the voter in the act OF
voting or the ballot which he votes provisions for
bidding eIectIoneerng soliciting voters WITHIN loo
feet of the voting place forbddng any person other
than voter TO have within limited distance OF the
voting place any ballot; forbidding any person %
solicit anv voter 10 his ballot and forbddlng the
voter from showing it forbidding any person 10 give
IN any voter or any voter TO receive, any ticket,
badge or token with the purpose OF enaDlng hin u
nroerre any money or benefit from his vote. .
There are various other provisions OF this sOrV W
no found i'm the statutes Of other states, winch nav
worked as | am Informed. well: the general enect OF
which Is 10 deprive persons OF the opportunity TO see
how the voter votes and 70 limit his opportunity OF
Showing 10 Others how he intends to vote or no"
he has i'm fact voted. All these viii not secure d
secret ballot in the same way. and TO the SAM
extent as an exclusively official ballot would out
law Including them can he framed as 10 be Vasb
improvement upon the existing system ana 70 pun
snch obstacles In the way OF corruption ana ntnl-
dalton that as | believe. the evil will be enormously
reduced on the other hand. II we have no cnsnge
i'm the law II we insist upon the exclusively omclai
ballot the evil must from IFS very nature, Increass
enormously before the next Presidential ElectIon'
such a law as | have in mind would be the SaNtoh
bill with a change Of ahalf dozen Hnes anu u'e au-
dition of the provisions I have referred o.; ,,ss
New-York. Dec. IA, 1889. GEokIE BLISS