Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-01-16

A Delaware Illumination.

=
A Delaware Illumination.
The Republican managers Of Della
ware who had the infinite audacity to
ask the supreme court to declare that
tax receivers must give tax receipts TO
those who offer 10 pay the taxes of
others, have had the riot act read to
them In the decision Of the court, which
informs them that tax receivers are not
Obliged to furnish political ammunition
to any party that their duty is to re-
ceive the tax from the debtor and to give
him q receipt for 1t that II they do
not do SO he may get an order
from the court directing 1t to be done
but that there is no duty upon the tax
collector to give Harry the receipt Of
Tom or to forward In any way Harry's
desire to get possession Of Tom or his
property or his vote. The court further
comments upon the failure of both par
ties In Delaware to enact the Australian
ballot system which 1t thinks well calcu-
lated to secure the integrity ofthe ballot.
The judges of the Delaware supreme
court are old men, but they are not
senilc in their intelligence. They know
and they declare sound political doctrine
and good law. They know that the
theory of popular government requires
man to be an autonomy and to work out
his own salvation without the care of
attorneys, agents and friends. The
blocks of five principle finds no favor
with the Delaware court If man
cannot himself comply with the
requirements Of the law that
provides him with ballot, he
must generally do without it. He must
be able to pay a tax and to pay It him
self, just ms he must be able to go to the
polls and cast his ballot himself. This
act cannot be done by an agent; neither,
under the sound Judgment Of the Della
ware court, can the act Of getting the
tax receipt, which is precedent TO the
ballot, be so done.
The blocks of five doctrine would COM
mend the agency act in gathering the
tax receipts. 1t Is the bottom idea Of
that doctrine that the voter needs to
betaken care of IA great deal so much in
deed, that one sentinel is needed to every
five timber voters. This agent keeps q
watchfnl eye over them until their ballot
is taken, and holds the ballot until the
very moment for Its deposit comes
when, In obedience to what he conceives.
to be very silly provision of the law
which requires the ballot to be cast by
the voter himself, he delivers 1t to him.
The Delaware court is Of opinion that
hn of rol Inv nf ts,np
carries out efficiently the prop
er practice Of the suffrage. And
In this opinion of the Deleware
court there is general concurrence of
intelligent opinion, outstead circles Of
working politicians. In cities, the ma
jority party fears lest its power will be
diminished by the lack of control
which the dominant party naturally
holds over the floating vote. And
quito probably there Is ground
for this idea. But 1t is not one which
should have weight with the law maker
or which should influence fair judy
ment. Even to the partisan ii must be
clear that the gains and losses from this
cause will be equalized and that much
more comfortable and economical cleo
ton will be had when the floating vote is
left TO float by itself. The working poll.
tician may object that his occupation is
gone but 1t is an occupation so wretch
edly mean and SO poorly paid that those
who will mourn 1t must be few indeed.
Against the theory of the Australian
ballot system nothing can be wisely
said. 1t simply provides for the taking
OF the ballot with the secresy which the
faw requires, but Which It wholly fails
to enforce. The only consideration Is as
to whether the proposed system will Sc
cure its object. This experience has
shown that it will do if 1t is properly
carried ont. Whether 1t will be 50
carried out in this country, if it is estab-
lished by law, is the doubtful question.
There II so strong a adisposition TO ''beatn
the election laws shown, when the test
Of the politicians virtue comes In an
exciting election, that 1t may be doubted
whether the Australian polling booths
will stand the strain.
Nothing shows this deprayed political
tendency more than this application
made to the Delaware court for authority
TO political agents to pay for and take
possession Of voters tax receipts pro-
ceeding so tiagrantly opposed to
the principle Of secret and in
dependent ballot and 50 strongly
odorous of bribery and corruption,
as to demonstrate in the most vivid way
the miserable condition of the vision Of
those who GOULD so look at it as to be
persuaded that there was hope that a
court of law would compel the delivery
to political agent of the title to citi-
zens vote.