New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-24
ELECTION EXPENSES.
GREATLY INCREASED BY THE WORKINGS
OF THE BALLOT REFORM LAW.
unor1AR A VOTE AT ALBANY-soME RESULTS
OF GOVERNOR HILLS AcTIoN-sAMPLE
PRINTING BILLS.

OF GOVERNOR HILLS ACTIoN-sAMPLE
PRINTING BILLS.
encS rnx srouLAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE.
Albany Nov 2l.-There is one drawback to
eAe Rallot- Reform act-it is costly. II has
enormously increased the expenses of elections in
this State. And yet the people see that it has
much purified their elections. that it has lessened
bribery. has checked intimidation. and has made
The act OF voting once more secret No one would
,hink of going back to the old system Of elections
BALLOT reform has come TO stay.
Vet there is a general belief all over the State
.ho, the elections under the Ballot-Reform act
can be made less expensive by some notifications
20 that act which will not touch its essential
features. The various county boards of super
visions as they meet and contemplate the ohls
which arc being presented to them TO pay elecuoh
.xnenses are most decidedly Of this opinion; ana
doubtless their views will be given expression BY
~. members Of the Legislature when they meet
here in January.
Take Albany County as an example of the
s,.ction expenses: There were $1,000 ballots
s.nosited in this county in the ballot-boxes by
those who voted for Judge of the Court of Appears
.t the late ELECTION said Mr.. Craven, the Deputy
County Treasurer of Albany County, to-day, ana
what was the cost to the county of each oaiiotr
Every one of them cost dollar. The election
.,nepses of this county, in other words, were
ahoye 1872. OOO II is thus obvious that 1t cost
,he county exactly one dollar for every ballot
denosited A pretty good price to pay, was IL
moi, 10 insure an honest and a secret bauot! YER
.a,clv IL was not too much TO pay, II IL was
necessary. but imagine that the Legislature Win
discover some means of diminishing The cost Oh
the next election. and yet prevent bribery JUST
Is ehectualy"
.What were the expenses of this city and Of
Albany County last year"
"The election cost the city of Albany tne sum
~ S4.e70 and the County of Albany the sum OF
"a 500. or a total of $3.50 The expenses oil the
election this year will be over S32,ooo. or an
inorease of 430. OF course part OF THIS was
h permanent investment.
what do you mean by a permanent invest
nent?'
Il mean the ballot-booths and rails and the
bouses that we had erected polling places All
,bese will be preserved and we can use them for
tonr or five wears to come. For instance, the
Citv Of ALBANY expended $2,041 O5 for wooden
booths and wooden rails, the sum of S2,43l 10
for iron booths and rails and $2.00l 40 for houses,
or total sum of $6,473 90, which we shall not
have to expend next year / do not know what
sums were paid by the various towns OF the
county for wooden booths and rails Those are
fown charges and will not be brought even before
the Board of Supervisors. But they must have
been considerable Then again, part OF the eX-
penses of Albany City are shared by the county -
what election bills have already been sub
mitted against Albany City ?"
Mr.. Craven looked at his books and then read
NJ this list Of expenSeS: