Los Angeles herald., 1890-04-08
GOV. HILLS REASONS FOR HIS VETO.

GOV. HILLS REASONS FOR HIS VETO.
Whilst the Republicans are strenu-
ously trying to make party capital out OF
the veto of the Exclusively Official Bal
lot bill by Governor Hill, of New York,
that gentleman is honestly endeavoring
to have the Legislature strip it of its un-
constitutional and DISTINGUISHING feat
ures, and pass it in a shape that will be
unobjectionable to the valid reasons
now urged against it. In his veto mes
sage he shows plainly the unconstitu-
tionality of some of the cardinal features
of the bill. In New York the only test
of suffrage is qualification OF age and
citizenship. The exclusive ballot bill
would disfranchise illiterate citizens, of
which there are in that State according
to the last census, 81 900. AS literacy is
qualification in Massachusetts this OBJ
lection does not apply in that State.
But in New York, a man who cannot
read or write would be compelled to get
the aid of commissioners in the booth to
help him make up his ticket, and this
would destroy the secrecy OF the ballot.
Besides, but few men would like to ac-
knowledge their illiteracy to strangers,
and would prefer to lose their votes
rather than do so Therefore the practi-
cal effect of the law would be to disfran-
chise such people.
Another valid objection to the bill is
that it permits the printing on the bal
lot of words "that will aid the voter in
the preparation of the ticket he wishes
to vote" This is not only a clearyiola-
ton of the Constitution, which provides
that ballots shall only contain the names
of the candidates and the offices TO be
voted for, but it is otherwise vicious and
mischievous, and opens the door to
dangerous practices. On this point the
Governor says:
''Who is to determine what shall be
printed upon the ballot under this pro-
vision? Who is to decide what words
will aid the voter in the preparation
of his ballot for voting?' 1t might
fairly be assumed by the officer who
had the preparation of the ballots that
every voter would desire to vote for
principles and not for men, and hence
that it would materially aid him in the
preparation of his ballot for voting if
there were printed on each ticket a
resume of the principles or platforms, as
he understands them, of the different
parties or candidates representing them.
Thus some cunning, tinscrupulous and
over-zealous county clerk might over
one column cause to be printed: These
candidates favor high wages for Ameri-
can workmen over another column,
These candidates favor free trade , over
third, These candidates favor cold
water and over another column, These
candidates favor conspiracies and
socialism, and SO on. Parties and can
didates might thus be placed in false
and embarrassing position to their great
detriment. The power to do these mis-
chievous things is expressly conferred,
and there is no restraint or limitation
imposed upon its exercise"
Governor Hill closes his very able and
elaborate veto message with these timely
reflections:
''No man realizes more thoroughly
than do the necessity for guarding the
purity and secrecy of our election sys-
tenn. No man can appreciate more
vividly than do the dangers to our in
stitutions in the improper use of money
at the polls. When men are able to OBJ
tain high places in government, not by
virtue of their fitness, but by reason OF
their immense wealth, our country has
begun reign of plutocracy, and repub-
lican institutions are threatened. When
our election systems permit bribery and
intimidation to flourish unchecked, de-
praving and debasing the poor and the
unintelligent, then democracy begins to
be a failure and government by the
people is sham We have come to see
our polling-places turned into auction
rooms and our offices sold to the highest
bidders. We have seen our country dis
graced by the spectacle even OF a ma
tional administration assuming power
as the reward of wholesale bribery and
intimidation, with funds supplied by the
enriched recipients of legislative favors.
To belittle such evils or consciously OBJ
struct their removal would be to record
ones self a public enemy, deserving
only the condemnation Of his fellow
citizens"