The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-01-18

| investipntp This systefn nu1 IN Introduce IL by
| nroper legislation Tho detailn are left to your
| iudgmont ond cxporlence rho ronsons for
| sucb action nccd NOT he enlarged upon here
| II ts potent 10 nnv ono tbnt when the voter
must retire 10 ubso ME nrivncv I'm order TO pre.
pnrc his ballot there is no object IN bribine him,
becnuse Tho bribery fnits TouoIly fruitloss
| would be tho nttcmnted Intimidation by en-
| nloyers or noliticnl bullies or any of the
| crafticr forms Of coercion
| In answer to tho prlncinnl objection mnde
| urninst the svstem-thnt IL might disfrnnchise
! nIitcrn,c votcrs-it may no snid that proyision
| r. IN be ,nndc for such yoterto select one of the
| ballot e crl;s to retire with him under severe
| nnnnltics n,ninst ,liyulginf, what may pass be-
tween Them Thc ballot clerks hive no more
| termination 10 net falsely than have the regis.
| trnrs and iudges Another means OF accom-
| lsbinp the same result is to permit the prcpar
atiou before hand by the voter through some
| trusted friend of n bnllot initiating the official
| ballot excopt in color The illiterate voter can
| tnkc the nrennred ballot into the booth and
| there copy its markings on the offlcnI ballot
This shields him from the discovery of his illit-
| crncy spares him hu imitation and prevents his
possible disfrnnchisement. 1t has also been
urged that too tedious forthe clcctor to mark
the name Of each candidate for whom he desires
| to vote. To obviate this difficulty ballots are
| sometimes so printed that every regularly nom
mated ticket stands by itself on 'he ballot and
can be voted us n whole by merely making one
| This does not encourage independence In Vot-
ing. but disposcs OF the failncious charge that
voting under this system is too troublesome. 1t
| may be added that there is yet one evil that re.
mains uncorrectcd by this reform. 1t tcrnn
atcs diroct brbcry-that is, the purchase of
persons who sell their votes or intiucnce-but 1t
| does not check the practice of paying men for
voting the ticket OF that party to which they
nominnlly belong. There are electors who
would not vote against their supposed prnci-
pies yet seldom vote for them unless paid
They resort 10 some subtorfugc, such rs de-
! manding payment for u days work; or other
equally bald pretcxt for obtaining money.
Such voters can be trusted to retire in privacy
and mark the names of the candidates for whom
they are thus paid to vote, Consequently
this specie. of indirect bribery is not pre-
vented by secret voting. II is difficult to know
Just how TO re ch it. Possibly, when public SEN
timent becomes sufficiently educated compul-
sorry election law with severe penalties may be
enforced. 1t is believed. however, that tho at
tempt to enact such n law would now prove fu.
tile, owing 10 the want of preparation in the
public mind, without which no effective legisa
| ton can be secured
ELECTORAL MACHISERY.
The subject OF improvement in electoral ma
chincry naturally follows what has Just been
said At present the Governor appoints
the boards of election in all cities having over
nine thousand people by the last census. This
but in the hands of an INSCRIPTIONS nan would
| lead to fragrant abuses. Popular will can easily
be thwarted when machinery controlling eloc-
tions among one.fourth the population is in the
| absolute power of onn official. The manner IN
which this violation of democratic government
grew up is Instructive, as showing how rapidly
power Increases when concentrated in a single
hand II arose in the legislation designed for
the prevention of frauds similar to those com
mitted in the elections of 1884 and 1885 in the
city OF Cincinnati. Empowering the Governor
TO appoint an election board was a tenn orary
expedicnt TO tide ove- the emergency in that
city. II was not sltendel by the trainers of
the law that extraordinary power should he
permanently vested in the Governor. They in
tended subsequently to frame an election code
which should provide for State. county and city
boards of which the State board alone might
be appointed by the Governor Undoubtedly
some such system ought to be adopted whereby
boards which are actually non partisan, should
be created for State, county and city purposes;
but the Governor should appoint the
STATE board only: and the members
of that hoard might, il they deemed proper,
be selected by him in equal numbers through
lists furnished by leading political parties.
Such n board would be non.partisan in fact as
well as in name. II is believed by some good
lawyers that plan may be devised for cities
whereby the people can elect onc-half the mem
bers of the boards, and the mayor be compelled
to select the other half in such II manner that
the membership would be equally divided he
tween political parties. Indeed such II sys-
TEN, II not in conflict with the constitution,
might advantagcouslv be applied to the crea-
tion OF State and county boards, permitting the
Governor to appoint one-half tho members of
the State board. and some suitable authority
appoint half the members OF the county
boards. Whatever plan you adopt let II be your
aim while giving the people actual non partisan
boards, also to permit them TO have direct
part IN choosing election officials.
THE ORPHANS HOME.
The Soldiers and Sailors Orphans
Home has recently suffered severe visitation
of diseases resulting from defective sanitary
conditions Searching investigation should no
mnde for The cause thereof. special
committee composed of experts. ought
to visit the Home ut an early day
The appointment of such committee does not
necessarily reflect upon tho trustees or officers
of the Home. for thc trouble may arise from
causes beyond the er control. The matter is TOO
serious 10 excuse the slightest neglect or de-
lay The State has no trust moro sacred than
the care OF these orphans, and nothing should
be left undonc to cherish and rear thom in
health and comfort.
SOLDIERS HOME.
The Soldiers and Sailors Home is unable TO
take proper care OF inmates who become in
sane no provision having been made for the
nursing md management of such cases. II au-
thority were granted by law to remove insane
inmates OF that institution to the Toledo Asy-
lum there To be maintained Mt II fixed sum per
annum, TO be paid by the Soldiers and Sailors
Home. then one-half OF the expense would be
reimbursed to the State by the Federal Gov
ernment. No provision is made at the Sol
diers' Home for employing the minds OF in