The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1889-07-25
HoMn oRsHRVATIoNs ON mhno'
pORAL REFORM,

stop tho business OF tho boodler ana
vote briber has nov taken the form OF
law in nine States of the Union,
When we speak of ballot reform We
refer TO the aO,called Australian system,
which provides for secret ballot
Ohio az q great central state ought 10
have led in this movement, but so long
as we have such q political guerrilla ~
Foraker for Governor aud men who
ought 10 be In the penltentlary 10 hla
chief hackers, there can be no hope FOR
a clean ballot or decent polcal methods
IN this State,
The registration law recently enact
ed Ia about what ono may expect IRON
that large class Of politicians, whose
motto ia anything to win, ana the more
spoils the better for the ylctoa,
But those who read the signs OF the
times Alright can see an awakening all
along the line in favor Of q purer ballot
aud cleaner political methods
OF the nine states which have sub
slantIally adopted the Australian Sya'
TEN all except Massachusetts have
done 40 within the year 1857, Maaaa'
chuaetts led OFF first in 1883
The hmt real agitation for ballot TO-
form commenced In 1857, and the fruit
already borne gives evidence that the
movement ia destined for general adop
tion, Just as soon ~ the patriotic masses
understand ~,
Take the record OF the nine states
that have already adopted ballot re-
form laws, and We lind variance In
the systems adopted, but the man iea'
lures are the same, Every one OF the
nine laws requires the erection OF
booths or compartments, into which
the voter shall, after receiving his bal
lot, retire, and free from all observation,
prepare II for the polls, The proper
ton of booths TO voters varies some
what The Massachusetts, law oaysnot
less than one for every scyenty'llye
voters. The Indiana Law divides the
whole state into voting precincl0, each
containing "as nearly 10 practicable
two hundred voters, each polling place
TO be provided with three compart'
mrnta. The Montana and Wisconsin
laws require one compartment for
every hfty voters, or fraction thereofi
the Rhode Island Missouri aud Con
nectIcut laws require not less than one
for each one hundred voters; the Ten
nossee law not less than three, and
the Minnesota law not less than
two for each hundred, This Is u
very slight variation, The important
provision Is that all except illiterate
and physically disabled voters are alb
solutely alone while preparing their
ballots. The method Of marking the
bnlots varies somewhat In M0ssa
chu etts, Montana, Rhode Island, wis
consin, Tennessee, Minnesota and Con-
reclicut the voter 10 required TO place
an X opposite the name Of each candi'
date for whom he wishes TO vote, ln|
Indiana he 10 required to make the
mark with an official stamp furnished
By the election officers for the purpose
In Missouri he 10 required to erase the
names OF all candidates on the ticket
except those for whom he wiphes toI
vote.
Every one Of the nine laws contains,
with slight notifications, the principle
allowing independent nominations by
means Of petitions or nomination
papers. In this way citizens who are
dissatisfied with all the regular nomin'
atlons for q given office, can 10y uniting
In favor of a suitable candidate, have
his name printed upon all the Official
ballots and have II distributed at the
polls on equal terms with the names Of
The regular party candidates. This Is
in the hbe Of protection TO tho indepen'
dent voter,
We hope to see the Democratic State
Convention which meets In Dayton In
August, proclaim IN favor Of q practi-
,al ballot reform law for Ohio,
md against the Infamous system now
Ia vogue, called the Registration Sys.
.em. The present registration system
q the most expensive system ever dc.
,lsed, and II Is the most outrageous
Ind unjust, II makes the election
boards of Ohio the personal property OF
he Governor Of the state, and at this
Ime the man who is u candidate for
Governor, will do his own counting Of
he returns, through HE partisan
gents, appointed by himself,and whose
,ower TO cheat and deiruud the people 1
s absolute and beyond review. Local
elf government is wiped out. The
,eople of the cities, where this infa'
nous registration law Is In operation,
ire at the mercy Of u partisan board,
to no person but the Official
Who appointed them Che Goyernor)
md who, IN case of
lose election win not fail
o register the decrees Of the little
Am who created them.
Hence, we say, the Democratic party
hould not fail 70 declare for ballot re-
orm, and appeal to the patriotism,
ense Of justice and fair play of the cit.
zen voters of Ohio TO wipe from the
tatute books the present yillainOus
veiem of injustice and robbery