Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-04-25

New Ysrk win TRY II.

he New York state Senate has finally
I'D without . dissenting vote ballot
I'm bill prepared by Senator Saxton,
nuthof Of the original measure, after
blonCe with Governor Hill, and to
e his constitutional objections to the
Inal measure, which he vetoed.
y Republlcan senators at first voted to
. - the bill but In a day or two rec0n-
o<sd their position and concluded to
- ballot reform a. the governor
1ted Il and n they could get II, since
~ could not have II rs they wanted
Do that oil parties in New York have
~ united In determination to test
ii Australian system Of voting, aud the
~ contest about II which has lasted
Eough couple Of legislative session Is
E0n end.
hs people Of the state demanded a
y o. the new way Of voting and the
ldcians were finally obliged to yield
bast seeming compliance with their
Dhes. It Il doubtful whether the poll
ans Of either party cared to inaugu.
~ the new plan, and the Republicans
<1Ared themselves for II rather because
~ Democratic governor was hostile
I'm because of any great desire of their
1&n 10 give the ballot additional safe
Ards against the manipulations Of
ceessional politicians. Whether the
~ adopted will or will not secure the
( the New York Legislature has placed
III on record as In favor of the object,
~ will hereafter he compelled to rem
any defects In the legislation to, Sc
o Il.
f1overnor Hill has been very much
nbled by that feature Of the Austria
- system which impeded the ignorant
~ In casting his ballot. II required
- TO mark those whom he voted for
: printed ballot, containing the
nes Of all the candidates, that was
Nm him a. he entered the polling
49,; - he has to do this without assist
he Is obviously required to do
1at he lacks education to fit him
and 80 the governor thought this
D An unconstitutional require
et. There does not seem to be
~ great soundness in this oh.
5ou, - any voter who prizes
franchise can readily learn to read
II enough to detect the names on his
~ and II he Is too stupid or neglect
- do this, he IL hardly In position to
- the protection Of the constitu.
and at any rate the loss of the
81 . voter who cannot read Ii not to
0Demsd great detriment to the
- bill that has passed the New
- Legislature overcon,es the COVER
objection, we believe, by permit
the voter TO take into the polling
- with him o ballot that he can
- upon the official one. Whether
oeature will be great detriment to
OBJECT Of the law, experience will
2E, and 1t Is hardly worth while to
Mate. The Australian system, If
adopted In Pennsylvania, will
demand variation from the origi-
scheme, because our constitution re-
1fes every ballot to be numbered. We
net consider that this will be as great
embarrassment to the working of the
- - the additional feature of the
e(er" ballot which the New York
In provides. There Ii no real diff
in securing all the benefit of the
tralian system while numbering the
lots, and we should be sorry to see
useful command of the Pennsyl-
- constitution abrogated, until ex-
ence has shown that 1t will not
k well with the Australian system.
- whether we will have any xperi-
u Of that system In Pennsylvania
q soon Ii quite doubtful. Public sem
mt will doubtless command II some-
-. but possibly not before the expert
Of other states has shown its
- beyond dispute. A fair trial
~ we believe will demonstrate
II Is good; but 1t may
~ be defeated In trial unfairly
=. The seclusion of the voter in
airing and casting his ballot Is the
~ feature Of the scheme and faith
- on the part Of the election Off
n keeping secret the ballot IL essen-
eo its great success. Such faithful
public sentiment can command,
1gh the law alone cannot. Penn
enia Is likely to be the last state
~ into line, for the politician here
snil sway; but our day will come.