Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-18
A BIG MONEY-SAVER.
How the Application of the Austria
liam Ballot System Would
STOP COSTLY ELECTION CONTESTS.
Fights for Office That Have Drawn Largely
on County Funds.
THREE CASES NOW IN THE COURTS

The beauties of the Australian system OF
voting and their successful application in
the interest of honest elections were shown
conclusively in an article in this paper some
weeks ago.
There seems to be no other method feas-
1ble, so long as some men have rod held
over them by employers, unless all en-
ployers can be persuaded to treat employees
in the manner prescribed by the Golden
Rule, or breed of voters can be propagated
who, knowing their duty, dare maintain it,
pretty difficult requirement whan a man
has family to sustain and no bank account
on which to lean. The old time style of
voting in Kentucky had merit
in that the voters were required
to express their choice viva voce.
Any elector could thus constitute
himself committee to keep tab on voters,
and if the result were not correct could de-
nounce the election officers. But this method
required more courage than the average
needy man is supposed to possess, and he
could be worked in advance to vote az
wanted or stay away from the polls.
HEAVY EXPENSE TO TAXPAYERS.
There is an argument Independent OF the
necessity of maintaining the purity of the
ballot, and it will be strange il the average
voter who makes his living outside OF poll
tios and is interested in good government,
even if it be not administered by his own
party, cannot appreciate its force.
Scarce year passes that there are not one
or more election contests, and some of them
are expensive to the taxpayers. Some
thing like a dozen years ago the
contest between Joseph A. Butler
and Edward Matthews for the aldermanship
OF the Seventh ward lasted so days, causing
the county at large the services of some 400
people, that is equal to those man for 400
days, or say $500. In addition to this, wit
ness fees, commissioners lee, subpenaes, ETC.,
cost some 81 500. and the city, not the loser,
had the bill TO loot, and Judge Bailey cut
Colonel Stones fees down to S5 sitting,
sum which many people thought very small.
The contest between w. j. Bremen, Esq.,,
and Councilman Mark Donley for the alder
manship of the eTwenty-fourth ward, cost the
city between 81, 400 and 81, 500. Here two
cases cost the city about S., 900, and had
everyone in the last ten years who had cause
tor contest pushed it the sum total would
have been heavy draft on the treasury.
THREE CASES ON THE STOCKS.
Inere are at present three contested elec-
tion cases on the stocks, two in this city and
one in Allegheny, and under the late ruling
of the courts they may be made much more
expensive than the Butler-Matrhews and the
Brennen-Donley contests. 1t has been de-
cided that the evidence shown by the elec-
tion papers, poll lists, etc., is not sufficient,
but that in the case of any vote being chal-
lenged the voter himself must be examined, !
andlwitness fee and cost OF subpoena amount
to 81 in each case. Apply this 10 the Stay
ton-Wyman contest, and what do we have?
There are in this case 4, 500 votes challenged.
The cost of taking the testimony of each put
at 81 makes So, 600. and with incidentals and
commissioners fee will aggregate 10000,
which the city of Allegheny must pay il the
case is pushed to the bitter end.
There is no security that there may not be
a dozen such contests in a year, and they
make draft in any year that would we'll
nigh sponge out the contingent fund. Sup
pose some struggling borough when scarce
enough money can be raised to support
schools and keep boardwaiks in repair were
called on to loot bill of several thousand
dollars because some slum politician had
falsifed the will of the majority. 'Twould
make the taxables squirm as they never
squirmed before.
The adoption of Australian system for
the prevention of this abuse, if for no other,
should need no urging.