The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-10-30

pose Of removing from juries the very men
who are best fitted to discharge the func-
tions of juryman." Captain j. II. Mimms
sang Mrs. McSorley's Twins in a way
that brought down the house Theremarks
of " Father" Roberts and Mr.. Harmon
were reminiscent in their nature and were
very interesting. The banquet broke up
shortly after midnight, the company sing
ing Aud Lang Syne."
The association met again on Wednesday
morning at the capitol. The report Of the
treasurer was read, showing $3.50 "a in the
treasury. a committee of one from each
county was appointed to present nomina-
tiOns for officers for the coming year. The
committee subsequently reported the fol-
lowing, who were elected: President, L. II,
Thompson of Irasburgh; vice-presidents,
H. M. Reed OF Rockingham, Waldo Brigham
OF Hyde Park, Elisha May Of st. Johns
bury; secretary, George w. Wing of Mont
pelier; treasurer, Hiram Carleton of Mont
pelier; managers, l.. II. Thompson, ex-of-
ficio, Hiram A. Huse of Montpelier, w. r.
Johnson of Woodstock, w. l.. Burnap of
Burlington and H. A. Start of Bakersfield.
The following delegates to the national as
sociation were appointed E. l.. Waterman,
l.. ii. Thompson II. G.. Bates; to the Ameri-
can association, S. G. Shurtlelf, w. p. Dill
lngham, j. X. Batchelder. The following
general committees were appointed: On adj
mission, Addison county, Charles w. Wilds
OF Middlebury; Bennington, George w.
Harmon of Bennington; Caledonia, Alex
ander Dunnett Of ST. JOhnsbury; Chitten-
den, &. w. Brownell, Jr., of Burlington;
Essex, H. NJ. Mansur of Island Pond:
Franklin, Alfred A. Hall Of st. Albans: La
mollle, j. w Page of Jeitersonville; Orange,
f. W. Smith of Wells River; Orleans, Z. j.
Farrell OF Newport Rutland, p. Il. Kendall
OF Rutland, Washington, Alland g. Fay of
Montpelleri Wlndham, Il. l.. Waterman of
BrattlebOrO; Windsor, j. j. Wilson of
Bgtlpl. professional I
Start of St Albans; X. HaslSns Of Brattle-
boro; w. r. Dillingham; of Waterbury. On
Jurisprudence and reforms Daniel Roberts
of Burlington; j. X. Batchelder of Arling
ton; Henry &. lde of st. Johnsbnry. On
legal history and biography, j. II. Senter
OF Montpelier; Elisha May Of st. Johns bury {;
Robert Roberts OF Burlington.
Ihe ASSOCIATION invited Judge Jonathan
Ross TO prepare paper on the late Judge
Poland. a resolution offered by G. w. Por-
ter was adopted to the effect that the secre-
tary secure as far as possible the reports of
the American and National Bar Associations
and the several states and cities and place
them in suitable cases, to be secured by the
president, secretary and treasurer. A letter
from Charles j. Harris OF Rutland was read
10y the secretary. IL referred to the prepara-
tion of secret ballot law and read as fol-
lows: In view of the rapidly increasing
interest in the subject OF ballot reform, aud
the encouraging progress made during the
past two years, resulting in the adoption of
the principles embodied in what is termed
the Australian system OF voting in the states
of Massachusetts, Indiana, Montana, Rhode
Island, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Minnesota
and Missouri, you are respectfully requested
to appoint committee to draft a bill em-
bracing the essential features of the same
to present at the next session of our state
Legislature. In explanation OF this request,
il may add force to the suggestion by call
N "a N ha "a lyan nv
the Commonwealth Club of New York city
in 1881. AS more fully explained in the
September century, the committee ap-
pointed by it to draft a bill for presentation
to the New Iork Legislature spent great
deal of time in devising a simple and COM
prehensive scheme for applying the Aus
tralian system to American election meth
ods Their bill has served as the model for
subsequent measures, and while the eight
laws now in existence differ from it in de-
tails, its underlying principles are to be
found without modification in all of them.
Had it not been for the veto of Governor
Hill, the law, as devised by that committee
would have been adopted by the state OF
New York, as it was passed by the legisla
ture. The fact that when the state legis
latures came together in January last there
was scarcely one of them which did moi
! have before it in some form measure for {
change in the existing ballot systems is {
| strong indication that the need of "A change
is very generally and urgently felt. WheI
we are informed that the Australian
method was the favorite everywhere, be
cause it had stood the test of experience il
Australia for thirty years. in England fo
eighteen years. and in Canada for siXteer
years attention is naturally turned to tina
system for immediate and permanent re
lief. In view of the recent practical demon
stration of satisfactory working in the state
of Montana and Connecticut, overcoming
in large measure, the objections urged b,
its most earnest opponents, we can surel,
look with confidence to its adoption il
Vermont. 1t may not seem necessary t,
pass laws at the next session of our stat,
legislature requiring all the smaller town
to be confined to the three Fundamental
principles underlying the Australian sys
tenn, which are first an official ballot printe,
and distributed at the public expense; sec
ond, absolute secrecy in voting; third
ample provision for Independent nomina
tiOns but there undoubtedly should b
such action taken as will give the large
towns like Rutland, Burlington, St. Albans