The sun., 1890-02-21
Tho Lesson OF Hudson County.

Tho always interesting polltlcal oplimlsts
who propose to exclude bribery. favorit-
ism, and fraud from elections. by the
adoption OF law under which the citizen
must under certain conditions, have his
voting done for him by sworn public OIL
Ger, have just now an excellent opportunity
OF seeing what "sworn public officers
amount to as q reforming agency In Hudson
county, New Jersey.
The Committee OF Elections in the Tren-
ton Senate has been engaged for several
days in examining into the abuses which
have grown up In Hudson county since IL
was deemed necessary for the purify
OF elections to adopt new-'angled ballot
boxes, equipped with disks, registers bells,
safety valves, gongs, and cautionary signals,
instead OF the simple and effective methou
which had hitherto prevailed.
It Is a favorite notion with the bogus ballot
reformers that the orderly exercise OF the
simplest political right ought to be hedged
about with vexatious and unnecessary con-
ditions; and thus the plan Of substituting
these automatic boxes, with complicated
mechanical attachments, for the glass boxes
previously in use. met with favor IN huosoh
county The theory was that man whose
mind WAS confused by such patent devices,
would act honestly and intelligently; where
as man whose mind was clear would be in
tent chiefly upon selling his vote.
According to the evidence adduced by the
Senate committee, tho "sworn public ot1l-
GERS" OF Hudson county utilized the oppor-
tunity offered by these ballot boxes for the
purpose Of doing good deal OF independent
voting to suit themselves, by means OF what
Is known as jokers. These jokers are small
tickets folded within those OF the regular
size. Between five and six hundred OF them
we're cast in @ single Senate district anu the
credulous reiormers, intently watching their
mechanical arrangement for abolishinS
fraud, did not perceive that they were I'M
consciously adding to the chances OF its
successful commission.
Here is a lesson which the people OF New
York ought to consider Five or six hundred
iokers could never have been cast with I'M
punlty in this city. under the law which our
reformers are 80 anxious to amend because
here the integrity OF the franchise Is not
dependent upon the good faith OF any
"sworn public officers" but upon the COM
mon interest of every party and every
candidate to prevent the commission OF
ny JuclI OplIOIltIlto' N'AhSL IhO NV
posed new system this salutary safeguard OF
honest partisanshipis to be swept away, and
in its place Sworn public officers are to be
substituted. and upon them the purity OF
elections Is to depend How it will result. the
experience Of Hudson county can show us.
The idea OF giving to q particular body OF
persons, sworn or unsworn, monopoly OF
the machinery OF voting, with undisputed
custody Of the only tickets that can be used,
and with power to cast and count tho bal
lots, Is anti-democratic and dangerous.
What some Of the sworn officers in Hudson
county have done, other sworn officers in
New York county might readily do. under
the increased opportunities for fraud offered
by the SAxToN humbug. The right to vote
is the most important OF all political rights;
| and 1t is far safer In the hands OF the people
themselves than when surrendered, under
any pretext, to "sworn public officers" or
| public functionaries Of any sort.