St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1889-11-14
TIE A UsTRALLAN SYSTEM.

its operation endorsed unreservedly
by the press of both political parties
VIII Never Be Repealed.
1t was a grand success. There
was expressed a nearly unanimous
sentiment of approval by the voters.
1t will be amended, but it will not be
repealed Boston Advertiser, re-
publican.
AuspiciOus Inauguration.
The election yesterday had many
gratifying features, but in some
senses the most gratifying of
them all was the brilliant success
of the "Australian" ballot reform.
We congratulate the people at
large on this most suspicious in
auguration of the Australian ballot
reform, for it makes all other reforms
easier Boston Globe, democratic.
Expectations More Than Realized.
1t is no exaggeratlon to say that
all the advantages predicted tor this
reform are more than realized in its
operation, and that the result of the
test even surpasses the expectation
of its advocates. There seems
to have been no difficulty attending
the operation of the new method,
and there is no reason to think that
any considerable number of errors
occurred through unfamiliarity with
the process. Indeed, the reform bal
lot act has proved its excellence at
the start Boston Post, democratic.
Polling Places Transformed.
The Australian ballot plan is not
only destined to be a permanent
method in Massachusetts but, after
the practically unanimous indOrse-
ment the people of this state have
given to it, it cannot fail to be speed
lily incorporated into the electoral
methods of the other states of the
Union. The polling places,
particularly in this city, were trans
formed. Instead of a room filled
with noisy and importunate sole
itors of votes, the electOr found the
polling places as quiet and orderly as
a well regulated office, in which he
could transact the business that call
ed him there without the least incon-
venience.- Boston Herald, indepen-
dent.
Other States Must Follow.
The result of the first trial of the
system is such as to con-
firm the most sanguine expectations
of its advocates, and to remove the
objections of those who had mag
ined that the new methods would
prove to be difficult and confus-
ing. 1t is safe to say that this
system has come to stay. If pOliti-
clans of either party who are incom-
NODDED by some flea lures of the new
method have imagined that they
could invent a pretext for a success
full assault upon it, they may as well
the idea The people will
be impatient with any such enter
prises after yesterdays experiment.
This result will give great inn
pulse to the ballot reform movement
in other states. The test in this
state was made with all the essen
tial features of the Australian sys-
states of the UniOn-certainly in the
not rest until they have
a system substantially like ours
Parties or Legislatures or Governors
who persistently oppose themselves
to this reform will go down before it.
: Boston Journal, republican.
Where Women Can Vote.
All manner of evils and discomforts
Of election disappear in the use of
this system. There are no possible
frauds of deceiving tickets, headed
republican" and cunningly conceal
ing democratic nominations, or vice
versa; no selling out" no com
Oines," no IDEALS" such as did so
much in New York toward electing
Harrison and Hill last fall,-none of
these things is possible. The indie
pendent voter does not have to hunt
for ''pasters," or cut out names from
one ballot to stick upon another.
The voting places are not Uttered
with torn and trampled tickets, and
the absence of the workers" con-
freedom from pools of to-
bacco spittle on the floor and from
air.
There is another important result
rom this new thing-it makes the
polls place where women can vote
without molestation, insult or dis
and so removes a serious
obstacle to women'S acceptatiOn of
suffrage, and to mems willingness to
give it to them. Many a man, as he
the voting yesterday, in
this city, at least, must have had the
thought flash into his mind that
woman could now exercise the fran
chise without an affront to her deli
cacy or selfrespect. And it would
not be strange if he had gone on to
reflect on the absurdity of excluding
the best half of the community from
so orderly and agreeable, as well as
a duty Springfield Re-
publican, independent.
THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTA- TIVES.
Hon. Thomas B. Reed of Maine,
one of the foremost men in the ma
t1Onal House of Representatives, calls
attention most lorcibly, in the North
American Review, to the almost alb
solute power which a small minority
n that body now has to Obstruct
business, and prevent a given ques-
ton from coming to a vote, by means
Of calling for the yeas and nays, and
the reading of bills which nobody
expects will ever pass. There seems
40 doubt that these rules, originally
passed to protect the rights of the
minority, are now SO abused that
they ought to be modified so that
the will of the majority can no longer
De absolutely thwarted as is now
often done. Mr.. Reed says:
The next House will contain no
arge and successful majority tempt
I'd byitS largeneSS and success TO ride