Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-01-15
Ohio'- New ssoyernor.

Gov. Campbelrs inaugural address TO
the Ohio legislature is an able document
and will strengthen the favorable i'm
preston which he has already created in
the country. One Of the strong points in
his messuge is the plea IN favor Of the
Australian election system, of which he
says:
No reform IN government can be sue
cessful unless every eector is secured q
free, secret. untrammeled. and unpur-
chased ballot which shall be honestly
counted and returned Our election laws
are far from perfect, and those who pro-
fess to believe that they are not suscep-
tible Of amendment have failed to study
the great reforms made in other states.
The Australian system" has been sue
cessfuliy tried In Norway, England, Italy,
Belgium, Canada aud Australia. and
adopted. with notifications. in Mssss-
chusetts. Rhode Island. Indiana, Wiscon
sin. Mississippi, Tennessee. Missouri.
Montana, Michigan. Connecticut and
Kentucky. The late governor of Masss-
chusetts testifies that lin its main princi-
Piles II Is beyond criticism" The United
States marshal. belonging to political
party In opposition to the governor. has
written: THE system is most admirable.
There is no more bulldozing by manu-
facturers. They cannot march their men
to the polls under foreman and vote
them all for one ticket 1t does away
with everything that makes politics dis
reputable" The cardinal features Of the
system are:
1. All ballots must he printed and dis
tributed ut public expense.
Q. The names Of all candidates for the
same Office must be printed on the same
ballot.
voter within the polling place by sworn
officers
4. Only ballots so delivered can be
voted.
8. The voter is guaranteed absolute
PRIVACY In preparing his ballot.
o. Its secrecy is made compulsory.
You are recommended to investigate
this system and TO INTRODUCES II by proper
legislation. In answer TO the objection
that IL might disfranchise illiterate vot'
ers. II may be said that provision can b,
made for such voter TO select one OF the
ballot clerks 10 retire with him undei
severe penalties against divulging wha
may pass between them. Another mean,
OF accomplishing the same result is tC
permit the reparatiOn beforehand by thG
voter, through some trusted friend. of {
ballot initiating the official ballot excep
In color. The illiterate voter can TAX,
the prepared ballot into the booth anC
there copy its markings on the oficia
ballot.
There IL yet one evil that remains un
corrected by this reform. II terminate
direct bribery-thst is the purchase o
persons who sell their votes or influence
but II does not check the practice o
paying men for voting he ticket OF tina
parry 70 which they nominsily belong
There are electors who would not vou
aRains. their supposed principles. ye
seldom vote for them unless paid for
days work. Such voters can be TRUSTED
10 retire In privacy and mark the name
Of the candidates for whom they ar
thus paid TO vote. Consequently thi
specie OF indirect bribery is not prevent
ed by secret voting. II is difficult /,
know Just how to reach IT, POSSIBLY
when public sentiment becomes suffi
GENTLY educated. a compulsory election
law with severe penalties. may be en-
forced. IL is believed. however, that tn
attempt to enforce such law now wOul,
prove futile.