New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-02-22
ELECTION Reforms.
in May.

The Saxton bill and other measures to secure
purity of elections in this State are now before
the Legislature. They are making satisfactory
progress, and it is already evident that the hos
tility of the Governor but nothing else may
prevent a substantial measure OF reform TINS
wear. Meanwhile, as if to illustrate the great
need of this and of much more stringent meas
ureS. the New-JerSey Legislature is day by day
uncovering before disguised Commonwealth
the infamous methods by which the pretended
majority in that State has so often obtained rs
success 1t has been remarked with justice
that the New-JerScy experience would 90 lar
10 provo that much would remain to be
done in the way of election reform alter the
SaXton and other BalOt-RelOrm bills pending
in New-York shall have been passed. But
that must not be interpreted as a reason for
hcstating in the adoption of these measures.
It is mhappiy true that corrupt election
officials have power to render almost any meas
IRE of ballot reform ineffective. The most
that the Australian plan can possibly do Is 10
secure entire independence for the honest
voters. alike from corruption and from intm-
idation But no one will seriously assert that
a quarter of the voters arc either hubed or IN
undated In a few localities there may per
haps be cast, of purchased or cocrccd votes.
half or a quarter the proportion which, IN
several precincts of Jersey City, was cast OF
obviously illegal and fraudulent votes. If "A
few men have the power TO put into the ballot
box more ballots, and to count more, than all
the legal voters in the precinct could cast what
conceivable object can they have in buying
votes or threatening voters? Hence it must
be admitted that no plan Of reform can be
complete or entirely satisfactory which does not
secure the selection Of trustworthy men for
officials at every voting precinct.
But that is plainly no reason for heNitatng
10 seize and to make tho best use of the op-
portunity presented to prevent evils which the
Australian system tends 10 remove. II l. the
fact that the public mind has been turned. per
hapS with diSpropOrtionatc interest. 10 the cor
rection Of an evil which is not the greatest or
the most dangerous but if is none the loss an
evil of far-rcaching importance, and one when
every good citizen will do his best 10 remove.
II is on the whole the Sure>t test yet found OF
Governor Hills character, pretended advocate
of reform as he is, that he stubbonly rcsStS
every practical measure looking toward the
/
II is the desire of certain partlSans 70 en-
tangle in the public mind the question OF regis
tration IN the smaller towns with the Australian
method of voting. II may be granted, if any
one pleaSes that this and every other measure
of reform deserves serious consideration. But
the evils to be overcome are mainly Of two
kindS-in the more populOuS places from want
of personal Identification of voters and from
the voting of squads under control of corrupt
managers. and in the Dnallcr towns from the
control or bribery of individuals. II would hc
a good thing for every honest voter TO get nd
Of either class Of evils. If the General Regis
| tration law is needed in the less pOpulou|
| towns where almost every voter is personally
! known. and where one who Offers to vote with
out being known is at once an object OF sus-
picon and liable TO be challenged. then LET
that step also be taken. But il would he well
not TO have it confoundcd aS some Democratic
partSanS cndcayor 30 conlound it. with the
! bill TO secure Il secret and independent ballot
| for every voter.
Public opinion has been concentrated al
ready, and very strongly, in favor Of the Aus
tralian or Massachusetts system. The genuine
advocate Of progress will always strive 10 move
in harminy with public opinion, whenever pub
lie opinion tends in the night direction. II
other measures Of value can also be attained
50 much the better.