New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-21
PRICE THREE CENTS!
THE SAXTON BILL PASSED
EFFORT TO SLIP IN THE UNOFFICIAL BAL
LOT AT THE LAST MOMENT DEFEATED.
THE CORRUPT PRACTICES ACT ALSO PAsSED9
TWO DEMOCRATIC SENATORS VOTING
WITT THE REPUBLICANS

WITH THE REPUBLICANS.
IRON THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF The rRrBUxBs
Albany, March 20.-The friends of honest
elections all over the country will rejoice at the
final passage in the Senate this morning of the
SaxtOn Ballot Reform bill, with the Assembly
amendments The Democrats tried hard to de-
feat its efficacy by injecting the provision per-
mitting the of unofficial ballots. which they
have all along insisted, but the Republicans
refused to insert it. This refusal constitutes an
additional vindication of their consistency and
sincerity. The bill will probably reach the Cover
this afternoon, and the responsibility for Ito
defeat, if he ventures to veto it, will rest solely
with him. The Corrupt Practices act was also
passed. Mr.. Chase, the Democratic Senator from
Albany voted with the Republicans on each
measure, along with Senator Ahearn.
AS soon Mr.. Saxton had moved to concur
in the Assembly amendments, Mr.. Lnson. the
introducer of the opposition bill, prepared under
the Governors eye, which met with timely de.
feat offered the following resolution:
Resolved, That this bill be recommtted to the Com.
mec General Laws, with instructions TO amend the
same by the insertions provisions allowing the
OF unofficial ballots, the official ballots IN be distn'
ehed therefrom by having the coaofarms OF the StaN
stamped printed thereon each elector TO receive one
OF such official ballots from the board OF inspectors befo
retires the booth prepare his ticket such oca
ballot not voted TO be returned 10 the inspector an(
destroyed before such leaves the polling place.
This resolution was little more ingeniously
worded than some of its predecessors, and Mr..
Llson prepared to defend it valanty
1t seems to me-" he said. ingenuously, that
we ought to be able to agree on this. 1t cuts of
all possibility Of abuse. The idea originated
with the Leutenant-Govcrnor" Mr.. Jones
blushed with conscious pride" and everybody
who has had anything TO say about it, including
the newspapers, comprehends it, 1t would. more
over, certainly amend the bill that it could
become law"
Mr.. Saxton, however, was proof against this
seductive invitation.
"It strikes me-" he said. that it's pretty late
in the day for to consider this question. The
proposition is not one. Mr. Jones pre-
sented it to the Assembly Judiciary Committee.
who unanimously rejected 1t, some time ago:
and after more thorough discussion than was ever
given, perhaps, to any other measure am quite
sure that the Legislature wants the bill. as it is
to stand. The amendments made in the Assem-.
bly, are of perfectly innocuous character,
al1 some of them, l believe. make the bill better
than it was before The time has gone by for us
TO tampcr with it
The experience of te LEGISLATURE cried Mr..
Cantor, rather contradicis that assertion. 1t Is
apparently never too late 10 perfect the bill. 10
has been amended times without number. after we
have received assurances that it was absolutely
perfect
That deny" rctorted Mr.. SaXton with some
warmth. /" 1t is true the bill has been amended,
because we wanted 10 get it as nearly perfect as
possible. But we have never said that it was
perfect The sef-suficency and superb compla-
cency of the Democratic Senators who imagined
that they really had perfect measure has not
been initiated on this side of the House. But
believe that this bill at this time. it stands. in
its present FORM by far the best of its kind that
has ever been presented to an American Legis-
laturc. and in saying that / don't intend to take
credit to myself. 1t is simply because it has been
criticised so carefully by friend and foe alike
II has been turned upside down and inside OUT
Ii has been examined through the microscope and
dissected by the scalpcl of public criticism, and
the only fault the Democrats can find with it is
that it requires an official ballot. Any system Of
voting other than tie viva vOce naturally dis
franchises an illitcrate voter, but this bill really
gives him greater assistance than any other ever
enacted. Ny impression is that an Official
ballot under any circumstances whatever would
be a dangerous thing and would subvert the pur.
poses for which the bill framed
Mr. Linson's resolution was defeated. and the
vote on the passage of the bill was as stated