The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-04-10
BALLOT REFORM.
The Bill Passes the House
with Flying Colors.
FIFTY TO ONE THE VOTE.
Erwin Is the Only Man Who OPP
posed It---The Debate.
Special to the Jersey ctr Nsws


afterday with but one dissenting voice.
Mr. Erwin, in spite of the eloquence Of
his Democratic ana Re publican col
leagues, refused to be weaned from his
idolof combining the distribution of the
ballots to the polling places on election
day and alone voted against the bill.
1t was four O'Clock when Mr.. Marsh
moved that assembly bill No. 4S6 be
placed upon its third reading and final
passage. At this motion those in the
galleries and on the floor pricked up their
ears. The news spread through the State
House that the House was about to take
up the Ballot Reform bill, and soon the
floor and galleries were crowded. Private
Secretary "Lon" Albeit hurried over
from the executive department. and took
one OF the empty seats near the Speakers
desk. Senators Werts and Adrain came
in together and seated themselves beside
Mr.. Albeit. Senator Gardner dropped
into seat near the door, and several
other Senators distributed themselves
about the chamber.
Mr.. Marsh began the proceedings by
calling for the enforcement of the rules
which excludes from the floor every one
but State officials. 1t was like clearing
the decks for action and when the
visitors had all gone TO the galleries and
the chairs cleared out of the alsles the
chamber presented trim, business like
aspect which was suggestive OF an inn
pending battle.
MARSH TAKES THE FLOOR
On motion of Mr.. Potts the title was
taken for the third reading of the bill,
and Mr.. Marsh took the floor Marsh is
slight. rather boyish looking man, with
voice pitched in a high key, but withal
clear and forcibae speaker.
1.-THE press and people of this State," he
said, "have declared this bill to contain
the most complete system of registration
The objection to universal registration
was that it worked a hardship TO the citi-
zen of the rural district who lived ct a
distance from the polls, but the Board
created by this Dill goes to the voters
house.
aThe only vital part Of the measure to
which exception is taken is that which
provides for the form of and mode of
casting the ballot" He then went over
the safeguards which had been put
about the ballots and said that
the committee deemed it right that every
citizen should have his ballot if he
wanted it before he went to the polls.
The committee he said, honestly be-
lieved that their system was the best yet
devised.
At this point Mr.. Potts interrupted the
speaker to say that he was obliged to
that although he objected TO the pro-
visions permitting the free distribution
of the official ballot he wished to be re-
corded as voting for the BILL
Mr.. Marsh resumed his speech and said
that the only reason that New Jersey de-
manded a Bnllot~ Reform bill was on ac-
count of bribery and intimidation by cor
porations, and under the bill before the
House each citizen is given the right to
prepare his ballot at home with the aid
Nf =, ,fc fa, 1xr md
sures every voter against bribery and
corporate intimidation. Mr. Marsh then
considered the official envelope and
claimed that those two systems produced
the best method ever devised for guard
ing the sanctity of the ballot. He showed
how every objection to the committees
bill could be urged against the Saxton
and Australian systems, and appealed to
the House to give the people pure and
Z wholesome law.
MR.. ERWIN IN OPPOSITION.
Mr. Erwin followed Mr.. Marsh. There
is an air of earnestness about Mr.. Erwin
and he has manner of expressing his
views in terse, comprehensive language
which always secures for him the atJen-
tion of the House He said he would be
untrue to the trust reposed IN him by his
constituents if he did not point out the
essentials which the bill needed to make
it a true ballot reform measure. 1t is not
q true ballot reform measure, he declared,
but was conceived to secure party ad-
vantage. He did not say this as a Repub
mitted that the bill had some
excellent features but claimed
that even the clauses creating the Board
of Registry were defective. Then he
went over the old tiresome grounds for
an official ballot, and told what he meant
names of the candidates on and distrib-
uted at the polling places only"
He maintained that the bill would still
keep up the old machine politics, which
were the source OF all our political miser-
les. Although many members stood
sponsor for the bill, and it was said to
come from Governor Albeit, it was but
the voice OF Governor Hill, as contained
in his veto of the Saxton bill.
COLE RAKEs ERWIN.
The cocky little member from Cape
May, Schoolmaster Cole, went for his Re-
publican colleague without gloves. The
little schoolmaster is almost as thick as
he is long and has high. piercing voice
which penetrates every nook OF the cham
ber. When he gets worked up he jams
his hands in his pockets and struts up and
down in front of his desk in an amusing
fashion. There is no more clear headed
or able man among the Republican mem-
bers than Mr.. Cole.
He took exception to Mr.. Erwin's declar-
alton that the bill was not true bal
"
committee he said, convinced that purity
of election was synonymous with the
Australian system. But he was willing
to learn and when it was mathematically
demonstrated to him that Senator Werts'
plan for the distribution of the ballot was
superior to the Australian system, he
voted for the bill He claimed that
under that system there was mo way in
Heaven or among men whereby it could
be told how man voted. +"
Mr.. jackson, the Republican member
from Passaic, said that he would vote for
the bill because half loaf was better
than none. This brought the irrepres-
sible McCran to his feet 1t is some time
since Mr.. McCran has broken out and his
speech was highly relished by the spec
tators.
M'CRAN'S STORY
He said that Mr.. Jxckson's remarks re-
minded him of the young lady who prayed
for husband. An old blind piper over
heard and asked
Twill an old blind piper dos'
The young lady did not see him, and
thinking that his words were in answer
to her prayer, said:-
Eyes, dear Lord, any thing is better
than none"
Mr.. McCran ramblfd on for several
minutes and declared that neither party
wanted ballot reform.
Speaker Heppenheimer praised the bill,
and said that when measure as com
- 4 l.