The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-01-08
HILL ON BALLOT REFORM.
INTIMIDATION AND CORRUPTION
CRYING EVILS.


Australian Ballot System Needs
Material Modification.
ALBANY, n. Y, Jan. 7-Gov. Hill, in his
annual message to the legislature, urges toe
desirability of changes in some laws relat4
ing to elections. He reviews the present
election laws, and says: "Yet, in spite Of
these excellent provisions, our laws do not
reach two great evils which attend our
elections-intimidation and corruption.
These flourish unchecked, bringing a stain
upon our state. rendering our
elections a mccSery and threaten
ing even the integrity and existence OF
our political institutions 1t is indeed a sad
allegation which is made and not denied,
that in some parts OF our state at the re-
cent presidential election, corruption was
so unrestrained that the scene at the polls
resembled an auction more than an elecs
tion, and that In other places intimidation
was so prevalent and undisRuised, par~
ticularly at some of our manufacturing
centers, that employees were virtually
driven to the polls, aud actually
instructed by their employers as to
what tickets they should vote. No publlds
service can be more patriotic than that
which seeks TO guard the suffrage frons1
abuses.
SIT is conceded by good citizens every--
where, think, that all legislation intended
TO improve our election laws should have
for its main purpose correction Of these two
evils-corruption and intimidation. ALI
other objects sought to be attained are OF
subordinate Importance, and should not
be permitted to delay OF prevent
the accomplishment Of this great reform.
To the methods which are suggested tha
legislature will do well to give ca eful cons
slderation. adopting that which, free frong
constitutional and other proper objections.
offers the simplest and most practicabla
remedy for the existing evi Is.
THE AUSTRALIAN SYSTEM
''Many well-meaning citizens and politicaE
associations, impressed by the necessity for
some remedial legislation, are just now
known Es the Australian system OF
voting, and apparently believe that it wilx
furnish a panacea for all the pernicious
practices which now surround our elections
II this belief is we'll founded, there ought
to be no prejudice against adopting tha
system merely because it has been success
fully tried in foreign countries IL does nots
follow, however, that because the Aus
tralian system seems to be well adapted to
the governments of Australia and England.
and Ia superior to systems whick
previously existed there, that 1t can be
appropriately applied to our institutions
without material modification. There
the governments are founded upon Ehe
theory that the state should undertake to-
perform every service that it can perform.
while the true theory Of our institutio Ia
that the state shouli do nothing that cam
better or as well be done by the free and un-
trammeled action Of individual citizens.
DIFFERENCES IN OUR SYSTEMS.
"To vest great control and power Of in
terference in the government Is the objschl
Of their laws, while the intent of ours is to-
confer upon the people the largest liberty4
and greatest personal privileges consistsne
with the public welfare 1t should not be-
forgotten also that universal suffrage does
not exist in Australia and Great britain.
but the election systems there are based upon
restricted suffrage. That this differe co OF
conditions is recognized by tee friends
of the Australian system in this
country is shown by the fact that thar
system in its entirety has not been adopted
by any state IN the union. Several states
with constitutions more friendly to 1t than
our own have enacted what is called the
Australian system, but only after material
and vital notifications. This adaptation
by various states of the different features
of the system appears to have pros
duced confused impression in the publis
mind as TO what the system really is
sEvARAL OBJECTIONABLE FEATURES.
Before discussing, therefore. tbs advisa<
bility Of its adoption in whole or In part by
our own state, desire 20 remi I'd the Iegis-
lature Of its distinguishing features. Ny
own opinion is that many of these are adj
mirable, while others are deci iedly objec~.
tionable. constitutionally and otherwise
The governor recommends the passage of
a law which will provide for secret COM
partments for voting. a I'd claims that thix1
provision alone w ould do much TO prevents
corruption, and would secure the chief bens-
fits OF trus electoral reform. In his opinionI
general registration Of the eectors through
out the whole state should be part of tha
system.
UNOFFICIAL BALLOTS.
On the subject of unofficial ballots thsa
governor says:
81 recommend that provision be madei
for both official AID unofficial ballots.
Grave objections exist to an EXCLUSIVES
official ballot. Secresy Of voting can bel
compelled just as well without It, and mol
sufficient reason exists why 1t should bsi
insisted upon. ANY person can become al
candidate without expense TO himself. sd
far as the cost Of the ballots is concernedi
but unofficial ballots should be permitted
also.
"The only two arguments worthy Of
notice In favor Of an exclusively officiaE
ballot are these: First, TO prevent failurs
Of the ballots. it being claimed that the
candidates or workers sometimes destroy or
suppress party ballots; second, to remove
the pretense or necessity of any assess
ments upon candidates for the expense Of
printing ballots. and Of the employment of
workers to distribute them. These objects
can lie as well accomplished by official
ballots which are not exclusive as they.
can by exclusively official ballotsn
The governor holds that it is unconstitu.
tiOnal to require an oil ctor to vote for a
OF his choice by making upon am
exclusively official ballot a cross opposits
the name OF such candidate, and prohibits
Ing him from voting ia any other manner.
because it estahl snes an educational quaiifi-
cation, and disfrsnchises mon who cannot
read or write. The governor favors regula-
ton OF the liquor traffic by just and equit<
able excise law rigidly enforced.