Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-02-22

proposed by him in the session of Lepislat-
i've Council Of 1851, before representative
government and universal suffrage had
been granted to South Australia. In 1856
came the Constitution granting popular
representation and manhood suffrage.
The measure became a law, under the
name of the elections act, in 1857. Soon
changed. Riot and disorder'disappeared
entirely, and the day of polling saw such
quietness that stranger would not real
lze that an election was going on. Intim-
idation by landlords and dictation by
trades unions alike ceased It's operations
have since been extended, so that now it
applies to all elections alike-municipal,
rural, and legislative-in the colony
The system spread rapidly throughout
Australia, and soon was heard Of in Eng
land, where thoughtful men were
anxiously looking for some solution of
the problem of pure and tranquil cleo
tons. In the elections of 1868 matters
| reached climax, and March, 1869, saw a
committee appointed, with the Marquis of
Harrington in the chair, to inquire into the
existing methods of conducting elections,
in order to provide further guarantees
for the tranquility, purity and freedom
of parliamentary and municipal elections. !"
In 1870 the committee reported recon-
mendation that the secret ballot be
adopted. The fruit of the movement was
the ballot act of 1872, based substantially
on the South Australian method, but modi-
fed enlarged and carefully applied to
the circumstances Of its new home 1t at
once commended itself to the people, and
now covers almost the entire field Of cleo
tions in Great Britain. Belgium and Nor
way soon adopted the secret ballot, and
Canada introduced it with success.
A number Of States in this country
Of the system. In New York the first
steps were taken in 1887, during the win
ter of which the Commonwealth Club de-
voted several meetings to the failure of
the law to protect the suffrage. A COM
mittee was appointed to draft a bill,
which was joined by like committee
from the City Reform Club, and meas
ure was prepared which, after being ap-
proved by the Commonwealth Club, the
Reform Club, the City Reform Club, and
the Labor party, was presented to the AS
sembly about the middle of the session
Of 1888, and was known as the
Yates bill. With similar bills it
was referred to the Committee on
the Yates-Saxton bill was reported and
passed, but was vetoed by Gov. Hill. In
Massachusetts, a bill was presented and
passed in the Legislature Of 1888. The
measure was defeated in Michigan through
the failure of the two branches of the
Legislature to agree. The Legislatures
Of nearly every State now have measures
providing for the secret ballot before
them, and before many years it is proba-
BILE that the entire election machinery of
the country will have been reformed in
accordance with the principles of the
Australian method. The system has now
received the approval of the Legis-
latures of seventeen civilized States, and
regulates the elections of $4,000, 900 peo-
pie.
The cardinal features of the system, as
everywhere adopted, are two: An arrange
ment for polling by which compulsory
secrecy of voting is secured and an Off
cial ballot ntaining the names of all can
didates printed and distributed under
State or municipal authority. The secret
ballot checks bribery and all those corrupt
practices which consist in voting accord
ing to bargain or understanding. A
man IS not apt to place his money cor
ruptly when he can not satisfy himself
that the vote is according to agreement
The marking of the vote in seclusion
reaches effectively another great class of
evils, including violence and intimidation,
improper influence, dictation by employ
ers or organizations, the fear Of ridicule
or dislike, or of social or commercial in
jury. Tumult and disorder at the polls,
bargaining aud trading of votes, and ali
questionable practices depending upon the
knowledge gained of the drift Of the con-
test must disappear. Another essential
feature OF the Australian system is the de-
velopment OF the traditional system of
nomination in England and Australia.
Now the only avenue to an election seems
to be through nomination by caucus or
convention. The proposed system en-
ables any body of citizens of the number
prescribed by law sometimes as low as |