The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-01-08
This paper Is Democratic In principles
and is Independent IN its UieWs on Gu
local questions.
Governor Hill on Ballot REFORM.

Governor Hill on Ballot Reform.
1t would be fippant TO assume to
express a decisive opinion upon Gov
ernor Hills ballot reform programme,
as embodied in his message to
the New York Legislature,
after a single reading. The
subject is so complicated that
careful study is the only rule of
safety, Many points, however, are
beyond all question, and even the ex-
tre21ists must join in approving them.
First" says Governor Hill, Il re-
commend the adoption of the secret
compartment system, whereby every
voter shall be compelled to enter a
private compartment for the purpose
Of examining Oh preparing his ballots,
and from which he shall proceed
directly to the ballot box unattended
by any one"
This, as Governor Hill says, is the
very ssence of the whole scheme. In
fact, this is ballot reform. All the
other features of the Australian plan
affect our general political system
rather than the precise issue of a
pure ballot. The State ticket
feature, for instance, concerns
the candidacy of poor men, and so
far as we car see offers no protection
whatever against bribery and intimI-
dation. 1t is proper that all the bal
lots should be alike-as the New
York law now provides-and that
every voting compartment should
be stocked with every variety
of ticket. So much is useful
for the voters protection. But that
being the case, and seclusion being
secured, you have as perfect a plan of
secret ballot as human nature will adj
nit of. A secret ballot is to all intents
and purposes a true ballot by opinion.
because the voter is protected from
the intimidator, and the briber has no
protection whatever against the pat
ent dishonesty of the man who takes
his bride.
But besides bribery and intimida-
ton, the ballot may be corrupted
through repeating and ballot box
stufIing. To prevent these crimes,
Governor Hill proposes a gem
eral registration of all voters
in cities ard rural districts
alike. This is certainly a proper
measure, and, in the main, an
effective enc, and it completes the
scheme for the protection of the ballot.
or course, these provisions will not
work here as they might in Heaven.
There's o leaven of wickednessi in man
kind that prevents anything reaching
the point of perfection in this imper-
feet world. But SO far as we
can see at this time of writing,
Governor Hills proposals are as
efficient and sufficient as prac-
teal men could hope, and will
only seem unsatisfactory to Republi-
cans who want to kill ballot reform
altogether, and to theorists who are
grasping after the unattainable.
WHILE the iceman hugs himself
in ghoulish glee, the plumber is the
most melancholy man in town. No
longer are the cellars flooded by the
bursting pipes, no longer does the
glowing brazier fit from place to
place through the bitter air soldering
up the riffs that Jack Frost has torn
in the water pipes, no longer do the
bills climb up " the heads of the
unhappy house owners
The downcast kni sht of the solder
ing iron stands on the street corner
looking longipgly to the west for the
blizzard that doth not come. The sea-
gcn is a DISASTROUS one for the con
sumption OF charcoal, wire nails,
iced pipe and the other things
which he charges NJ with such