Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1890-01-21
Ballot Reform.

~ nc ittA VI Wv
1 discover wish concern by the lead ng ed
itorial OF the 9 b inst. that the GAZETTE or
poses ballot reform, or, 10 speak mere DEF
nitely, the Australian system as recently
| enacted in many States Of the Uaion. Il
| appears strangs that any utteTance or oGin
ion Of Gen. B. f. Butler should be quoted
by you with respect, but it Is not surprising
! that he should join the handful of prominent
men, irrespective of party, who oppose bal.
lot reform. l. is indeed just what might
! have been expected.
The editor OF the GAZETTE Is q very diff
ferent character, and he may, / trust. On
further study of the question, come to re.
gard 1t differently. While agreeing in bis
! opinion THAT the BEST possible reform re-
speeding suffrage would be e return to the
good old uiua vOce system OF voting" and
myeelf regarding with disFaVor any use OF
tbs secret ballot, we must al agree that re-
turn to uiUa UOce voting is q thug "a hope.
less as return to that other good thing ofthe
pasta properly qualification. II, there
fore, there must be D secret ballot at ell, you
say let it be as little secret as possible. The
reformer gays No, though open voting be
beat, It muet be conceded to be u~nattainable,
| and, if We are to have 8 secret ballot, let
it be one really secret, and thus
secure to the utmost against In
proper Influence. Il is difficult to zee
how the AustrsIisn system can degrade
suffrage still further" or how tho man who
makes and registers his choice Of oendi-
dates 10 the absolute privacy of the voting
booth is less 70 freeman" and less "votes rs
he p~lesses" than be who caa,s his ballot I'm
der the present system. Inst system 10
practice involves substantially whatever i5
Objectionable in the UtUd c0ce method with
out any Of tue acknowledgements some there
are uDquestlonebly-of q really secret bal
lot. 1t cannot ba claimed certainly that 1t
increases the danger Of fraud In counting
the vote, the impossihiIity OF which under
the old fashioned method constituted Its
chief recommendation.
The adoption OF tbs Australian system, es
you have doubtless observed, Is urged upon
The legislature of Ohio in the recent mes
sage of the new democratic governor, BIZ
Campbell, who discueses the satject with
much ability. From him We CLEAN some In.
teresting particulars. Though taking lite
nsme from that great British dependency in
the southern hemisphere wbeTa it was h;st
introduced thirty years ago, the system la
new 10 use in Eogland, Norway, 1tsly, Bel
gum anu Chuaun anu III unc Hsaug DOoD
adopted with various notifications In Il
deem Of our States. In Massachusetts,,
where it hss Jest been iDeuSuJated, all par
ties %concetie its superiority ara ii is declared
that mo one would seriously consider" liz
repeal. The cardinal features OF the sys
tenn may be stated as follows:
/. All ballots printed and distributed at the
public expense.
2. The names of al candidates for the same
office printed on the same ballot.
g The ballot delivered to the voter within the
polling place by sworn officers.
d. This official ballot only to be used.
5. The voter guaranteed absolute PIRACY in
the preparation of his bsllot.
d. This Tecrecy made compulsory.
Tho great advantage of the system is that it
virtually puts an end to the bribery and to t1e
intimidation of voters. No man will pay for
goods the delivery of which it is impos 'ible to ae-
cure, and the undue influence of an employer or
any other person cannot operate on a voter whose
action at the polls ia absolutely screened from OBJ
servation This is what is claimed for the new
method, and the moro it is tried the fuller is the
testimony that this is the fruit it bears. If is
seems worthy the support of ail good men.
FAIEEAx Co, Va, Jan. 19, 1890. LIMB.