The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-02-06


81
erp,vr oanrs0 ~ 0Renannn
kAu y1DJU ~ M Ill i
-. -
Nee0 y : @ ~ xfcses
af the Polls.
A Aesoassy siSs
gsstsd-E1ection kxpsnsee shsnaa
ne Borne BY the Pub1ge.
AsIea Thoradl3e Rice IN ne Aorfa Amsrf-
can Review.
As soo6 and a. often as result Of .
closely contested election IS announced
~. erx If bribery and corrun4ion Is
- .h.a,..tso,,. -. r.,.,,,.-.. - ~.
sAiseu so oc -s.-- - 49, -.
sdefeatsn parry u aa1iaAsss- hSss
often, either IN defiance or despair ~
heard the question made famous By s
slnracticaI uoIitfcizns Of New York IN
- 10 fseree d~runc;a4;a,,s "a ri.
sA's - .sxu.ls -. -. - = -. -
0~n Aaa - =, 80 - : ~ ! -
ing 70 do about y IS LEI TITS should be
the paramount issue OF the hour.
Men Of both parties and all parties
.,-;thout doubt have perverted tl1e
800 - tie Isw ever cher, tl.~v i. ).
1Psl.s - 49, - s-'...- - -
n0s onchueu 2 Aal's =, - aa'u s4se
honest historian via y opIiksn 20 re-
cord that the machinery OF the purest
narties. at certain timer and places.
les been alienated to unlawful and
..n,wcyth = p1ruoses. nj varfane< ~ftb
-. 49,. - ,..-.--s-.sr - -
tns 80
constitution. no" snah poiitacai cor
Yupfion be preventedg l repeat there
is bat one emeienf remedy tor the
<yll--a TACTICAL reorganization Of our
machinery OF eiection-a reconstruc-
ton having as us Cnsel purpose 70 rem
der fraud imposslpie. For without q
strong ana non-pafusan movement
that enah inluate system u honest
voting making bribery Improbable
and knavery afapotent, popular clec-
tons IN America Will become farce,
and demOcratic insfisuuohs prey TO
the same dlSlnfeEranng forces that en-
coInpassed the ruin OF earlier free gov
ernments.
II is waste OF tine to disruss
whether this or that party Is the
greater offender IN any given election.
What we need is not victim or YER
dict or a palliative, bat q preventive
No temporary remedies viii suffice.
Il should be An incorporating cru
sade against political knayery q war
to the deathas IL was q war 70 the
death against American slavery.
No legislative remedy for the pre-
yention of fraud nc elections viii
prove effective unless IL pro-
yides for two essential features:
a, absolutely secret ballot and the as
sumption by the national, state or mu-
nicipaI governments Of the essential
lawful expenses OF candidates. But
An net that secured these factors
would deal an immediate death blow
10 political corruption at the polls.
IN first taking up this vital question.
In lonely earnestncss. some few wears
aco. and in drafting the first bilt for
the new electoral reform in New York.
Il seemed to me that q remedy so ratii-
cal would demand wears of agitation,
Yet to-day ii is the battle cry
Of the Empire State. To-mor-
row it bids fair to becslne
8 practical issue OF reform through
ont the Union. Honest men. With
out distinction OF ciass. creed. or
nreyious condition OF serystside to
political bosses. unite in demanding
this reform. and | cannot refrain
from again presenting the more
salient features OF the great issue.
Under the existing system OF ballot
ing In New York state. which Is a sad
and striking example of some OF the
worst methods prevailing In the
United States, there In and there can
be no adequate protection against the
most shameless perversion OF the
popular will. No official verdict can
Sc trustfuily accepted as the true pop
uiar verdict. Any one who doubts
this fact can assure himself of IL on
any election day In New York city, by
an early visit 10 the polls in the popti-
lous districts. especially In the lodg-
ine-house cepters. There will present
itself 10 the astcnished gaze OF The un-
initiated. the strange sight OF voters
marched to the polls in squads OF two.
three and four. under the direction of
a trained PARTY worker In order
to secure the proper casting of
their ballots, those independent.
voters are there required to hold mp
their right hand exposing the ballot in
that position until east. The '.consid-
Grafton is generally Eve dollars,
sometimes lower, bat often as high as
ten dollars. Mr.. Henry A. Gumbie-
ton, who has given considerable at
tension 10 this matter, estimated the
lodging house population of New
yerk city, ON October l. 1856, at eight
sper cent. Of the entire city electorate.
Let il be borne in mind that really
secret ballot would provide for and
enforce the secret marking OF ballots
furnished by the state. No one but
the voter would be allowed 90 enter
the compartment provided for mark
ing hts ballots. and the arrangement
would preclude supervision By the
present class OF vote buyers or their
representatives. In these eircum-
stances no candidate could be induced
TO pay for votes the casting of
which must be accepted on faith; for.
L. III tt... a