The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-04-30
BALLOT REFORM.
Provisions of the Bill Prepared
for the Federated Trades.
Nons But Machine Politicians" Will OPP
poso It-A Plan for Saving Time and
Aiding the IIlitsrate.

The Federated Trades Council, which
made such splendid and telling effort tc
secure the adoption of the Australian bal
lot in California two years ago, has again
appointed committee to prepare properly
remodeled bill for presentation to the Leg
islature at its next session.
The first bill was defeated because it was
in certain features deemed impracticable
by the legislators. The trades, who believe
that no reforms of importance to labor can
be secured until the unbiased will of every
citizen can be made known at the polls, de-
cided 10 make another effort toward securing
the adoption of the Australian system of
voting.
They secured the assistance OF ex-Judge
James G. Mcguire, who drafted the first
bill, to remove the defects complained of
by the law makers, and will present a modi-
fication of the original measure. The result
of Mr.. Maguire's labors will soon be made
known to the federation.
He is an ardent believer in the Australian
system, which he says, ''as remedy for the
most dangerous and destructive vices Of
our present electoral system is no longer
prOblematlcaL"
He states that within the last two years
II las btCu duOplcu anu II4cu III SGNcIdl
States of tie Union and has given general
satisfaction to all but machine politicians"
The rising tide Of Its popularity has even
swept away the determined opposition OF
Governor Hill of New York, whose an
tipathy to the measure has become his
torical
ITS GROWTH IN FAVOR.
''In such favor has it grown" Mr.. Ma
gulre continued, that the real question is
: a IL n forms
and details of its enactment. 1t, therefore,
behOUYeS all public-Splrited citizens to aid
the committee with such suggestions con-
corning the details of the bill as may seem
to be valuable.
For such suggestions the committee has
expressed desire. The measure seems
well nigh perfect, but, like all human in
yenttonS, 1t can be improved. The main
features of the Australian ballot system
are, in brief:
81. The printing and distribution of all
election ballots at public expense, so that
all candidates of all parties shall be placed
before the public, in equal circumstances,
without either individual or party expense
~. The nomination Of candidates for Of
ice by petition as well as convention, under
proper restriction.
%. Absolute and compulsory secrecy of
the ballot, preventing both bribery and in
tmidati0n.s
AN UNANSWERED OBJECTION.
this system in California which has not
been answered by the experience OF other
States Is that while in other States where
1t has been tried not more than thirty
Offices are niled at any single election,
as many as ninety Otflces-State, county
and municipal-are often filed at an cleo
lion in California.
" This, 1t is urged, with our penchant for
Independent tickets there being sometimes
as many as seven complete tickets in the
ar hal ION,
tanning the names OF all nominees, un-
wIeldy; would render voting extremely
SLOW ana unsatisfactory, and would result
IN the disfranchisement of all late corners,
pairing ballots
Thus. it is said, each ticket would con-
tain from 400 10 $50 names from which each
voter would be required. after entering the
po!HnE-pIace, to select and check ninety
before voting.
oBVIATING THE OBJECTION.
ITO this objection the friends of the
measure have suggested and recent ex-
penences in other States prove IL true that
under a system permitting independent
nominations by petition for particular Off
ceS, the regular candidates for which are
unsatisfactory, there would rarely be more
man three complete tickets presented, with
from one 10 three extra nominees for each
Of perhaps dozen Offices.
But even If there should be 600 or 700
names on each ballot the difficulty of it for
voting can be almost entirely removed by
numbering the names and blank lines on
the ballot, cOnsecutlyely, without regard to
offices, thus:
FOR GOVERNOR.
!. Johh smith,. Dem. X
,. Iona Jones .......................... Ind
> ..... -. ..............
FOR SECRETARY OF STATE.
o. hlCudru Roe Dem.