The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1890-01-16
TIE AusrAL1AN BALLOT SYSTEM.

One nj our beet Maine exchanges, the
Republican Journal of Belfast, depre-
cafes the idea that Americans must
transplant this voting system and thus
supersede one by which we have pros
peTed and grown great as a people. 4 =
pecially In New England where the
town meeting, with its deliberative as
sembly, is so firmly implanted. II
points with commentator to a letter
from Hon. +. @. Dow Of that State, who
is Republican and thorough-going tenn
perance man as setting forth the true
theory OF ballot reform. In Maine the
question is an immediate issue, but we
are to have a campaign in Vermont next
summer in which this may be among
the issues, therefore arguments pro and
con are IN order. Mr.. Dow says
1t is claimed by the friends OF the
Australian system that the frauds will
be very much reduced il not entirely
overcome. That the voter, who votes
the way he eau get the most money, VIII
be prevented from selling his ballot to
the highest bidder by the adoption OF
this meth cd, we do not believe to be the
case. 1t is apparent to the most careless
observer of the actious OF his fellow
creatures, that there is such thing az
honor among rogues. And the man
who sells his soul to the devil for GOLD
can generally be depended on to deliver
that piece of merchandise to its rightfu
owner. The men who vote as they are
paid to do, will be found to have enough
honor left in their being, somewhere, To
cast the vote they have been paid to
throw. Not having had any experience
! in the matter of buying and selling
votes, we can not speak with so much
certainty as some of the regular politi-
clans might be able to do, but we raise
the question, whether the man who buys
anoIher's vote ever accompanied him to
the ballot box for the purpose OF seeing
whether he votes as he has agreed or
not =? We do not think that this is apt
to be the case; and inasmuch as buying
votes is a crime it would not be good
policy for party to show that he had
violated the law in this respect.
There are no doubt lots of men who
would give "fiver" to secure mans
vote, but they are not so plenty who
would care to have it known. In this
respect the Australian method will moi
be found any advantage.
That 1t would prevent stuffing the bal
lot box, we admit at once, provided that
all the election officers Of the day were
honest men. Whether they would OF
would not be, it is of course impossible
to say. But it is safe to say that then
moral natures would be about the SAM
as that of the average politician or the
present.
If election frauds exist at all, they arr
| L. frannanflu in the
form of false counts and incorrect re-
turns than in any other guise. In this
respect there would be no gain, bu,
might be an increase OF fraud, perhaps.
In long tickets Gas the Austria ian tick
ct must be in some cases), with only d
simple cross or check against the candl-
dates maine, it would be a very simple
matter for the counting officers to make
mistakes, Even with the most honest
Intentions, they might make errors inor'
readily than at present, and If il should
happen that their intentions were not
honest check against one candidate
name could be very readily counted for
another person-and it would be mis-
take of course.
Another thing, our pI esent method OF
voting is very simple, while the Austria
Ian is complicated. Why should thai
way which is the most simple one in th'
civilized world give place to one that 1t
burdened with lot of complicated ma
chinery Our State and country has
prospered under laws enacted by mer
elected BY our system of voting anr
wherein we have not been prosperous
Wa challenge any man 10 prove that Il
has in any way been due to our voting
+ystem.
1t is at least humilisting to think thai
nur country has become 80 corrupt thai
The voting methods OF the honest fore
fathers, who gave 80 much for the gooC
of our homes and country, are no longel
applicable to our condition, but must b'
superseded by method that was founC
necessary in a wild section of the worlt
that was largely settled by the convict
and vomitings of civilization.
Out upon such ideas We have evil
enough that need to be corrected. but
, As for our ballot box, the best thing W
can do is to trust it to the honesty OF tn
people. In the future, as IN the past
they will be found ready to give faith
: full account Of their stewardship.
4 LET II alone, tits safe ~