Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-12-20
BALLOT SYSTEMS AGAIN.


to Democratic contemporary, to defend
its untenable position. Its claim is that
the California election law is better than
any of the modified forms of the Aus
tralian ballot law. Yet it admits that an
improvement upon the California system
would be to place near the polls covered
and inclosed walk-way, through which
voters could pass, or should be made to
pass, just prior to casting their ballots.
The idea is that while walking through
this inclosed and covered bit of territory,
the voter can change his ballot if he
wishes, without being observed.
The San Francisco Chronicle is so taken
with this weak suggestion that it proceeds
to present an illustration of the covered
way, and of voter issuing from it. That
paper fails, however, to see that its sug-
gestion is a confession of the virtue of the
private booth system of the reform ballot
method. If it would be well to give the
voter the protection of secresy, as sug-
gested, that he may do sneaking bit of
sleight-of-hand performance, it would be
wise to give him opportunity to receive
his ballot from an official source, and re-
tire into booth to prepare it.
The same journal claims for the Califor-
MIA tone hundred feet" system all the
virtues that should distinguish any good
voting methods. To show how free the
voter is from the watchfulness of the
pickets of the bosses, it presents an ideal
picture of voting place, with the space
for one hundred feet about the polls abso-
lutely vacant, so far as people are con-
cerned, except for the presence of a soli-
tary voter walking to the ballot-box with
his ballot in his pocket-presumably.
1t is worth while to expose the falsities
of the illustration, even as an ideal. The
law does not require the 100foot space to
be kept clear. There is no authority
under the law by which this can be done.
As matter of fact it is not done. Every
one who has attended a holly contested
election in this State has seen the 100
foot space packed with people and the
heelers and strikers and underlings of
bosses so densely massed about the polling
window that no one could reach the ballot
box except after fierce struggle and at
the risk Of bodily-iniury. If this is not
true in San Francisco it will surprise most
people to learn Of their misconception. 1t
is certainly true in other California cities,
and we believe it to be true of San Fran
cisco polling-places also.
The Chronicle is DESTROYS that someone
should inform it of single instance of
voters being marshalled to the polls, sup
piled with ballots and compelled to hold
them in view until dropped into the ballot
box. Specific instances would prove no
more than general observation verifes.
Every man actively in politics knows that
what we allege is the truth. Where it
necessary proofs of it could be piled higher
than the mountains. But it is unneces-
sary to call witnesses to simply enlighten
our contemporary upon what is of common
knowledge.
The solitary opponent of the reform
ballot system, the San Francisco Chronicle,
laboriously presents in its issue of the
18th inst. objections to the Australian bal
lot as modified in the United States by
laws Of nine members of the Union. First,
"The printing of the ballots by the State
is a fatal blow at the independence of the
voter, because no man can take ballot, with
from $50 to 800 names upon it, retire into a
booth and in the time allotted-ten min
utes-mark his choice" No one with
ordinary intelligence can be deceived by
such an assertion. 1t will be, by far,
easier to select from political lists, clearly
indicated and entitled and printed in
parallel columns on one sheet, than from
a half score Of tickets upon separate sheets.
Experience proves this to be true. The
voter will read the lists more Iapidly-if
he has not previously settled in his mind
for whom to vote-upon the single official
page than he possibly can from a number
of tickets, and which, under the substitu-
ton and half-breed side.show tactics of pol.
itics, may stretch out to half a hundred
tickets. But it sufices to repeat that
practice has demonstrated the weakness of
the Chronicles fears
Second, ''The modified Australian system.
with tickets printed at State cost, will
promote the formation of piece clubs
How it would operate to that end is not
explained. As dogmatic assertion it
goes for nothing. As matter of fact the
California system does not prevent the
formation of piece clubs, nor will any
other. No law will make men honest, or
prevent them from bleeding" candidates.
Not even the Australian modified system
will do so, and no one claims for it any
such virtue, or that it will deter men from
selling their votes. But it will and does
prevent the buyer, or the person of whom
the voter stands in fear, from watching the
elector and assuring himself that he has
cast the ballot delivered to him.
Third, "The California law is as effect
i've in preventing vote-buying as any other
can be-" This is mere dogmatic assertion
also, and its fallacious character has al
ready been exposed. But even the Ciron-
iete admits that the covered sway which
it suggests shall be placed hear the polls,
would destroy assurance that the pur-
chased voter has delivered the goods.
Without it, then, the California law is de-