Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-10-20
SUFFRAGE In SECRET.
The Australian Ballot Method AdVo-
Gated by Single-Taz Men,
AS AGAINST THE SPYING SYSTEM.
Engineer DelOSS Everett Addresses Rail-
readers in Meeting.
BARRIERS TO HOLD AN ANNIVERSARY

Though the interesting subject of "Ballot
Reform" had been advertised for discussion
at the meeting of the Single Tax League
last evening, the attendance was sparse.
Three leaguers, four ordinary mortals and a
DISPATCH representative composed the
gathering, when Mr.. Edmund Zurdley re-
cited the Battle of Naseby," by Macaulay,
as a sort of Introductory to the proceedings.
Subsequently five other citizens appeared.
That so few were present may or may not
be laid to the account of the wea;her-which
was moist
When Secretary Roberts had read the
principles of the League, President Zardley
called on Mr.. j. J. Quinn to speak to the
question of ballot Reform" Mr.. Quinn
described the cause which led Francis S.
Dutton, member of the South Australian
Legislature, as early as 1851, to originate
the system of secret voting which has since
became known as the Australian Ballot
System He explained the workings of
the system and illustrated, from his own ex-
periences, the impossbility of a free voter
casting his ballot as he might desire with
out running risk of discharge by his en-
ployer or losing cast and friends by running
counter to their wishes. Under the existing
system he declared no man can vote secretly.
AT THE MERCY OF HEELERS.
The voter was not his own master, nor
free agent, but to a large degree at the
mercy OF the heelers and others who make a
living by spying on voters on election day.
He said that The Australian system was in
operation in most English-speaking coun-
tries, including Victoria, South Australia,
Tasmania, New South Wales, New Yea
land. Great Britain and Ireland, British
Columbia, Ontario, Canada, Quebec, Nova
Scotia and Manitoba; and in the United
States it was the law in Ken
lucky, Massachusetts,, Wisconsin, Rhode
Island, Indiana, Missouri, Ten
nessee. Montana and Minnesota The
measure was defeated in this State in the
House by majority of Republicans oppos-
ing it-a majority Of Democrats favoring it.
Is never came to vote in the Senate, being
referred to committee consisting of Sena-
tors Cooper, Reyburn and MacFarlane who
were opposed to the bill. The record of the
House shows that the following representa-
tives from Allegheny county voted against
honest elections, pursued Mr.. Owen name
lv Charles w. Robson, James L. Graham,
William T. Marshall, James F. Richards,
David Z. Weaver, William h. Mccullough
and William H. White. The condition in
Pennsylvania to-day was, said Mr.. Owen, that
it wasrthe man who Knocked out the
ballot system that has his man up for
Governor. 1t was the duty of the people to
vote for the Democratic nominee because he
was disposed to give them an honest system
OF balloting.
WHAT THE VOTE SHOULD BE.
Mr.. Yardley affirmed that in free coun-
try the vote should be the true expression of
the popular mind. Under the Australian
system voters could not augment their in
come by selling their votes as they did so
freely In New York, and perhaps here.
Thew could not sell because their would be
no assurance OF their delivering the goods.
They would go into the booth, deposit their
vote, and no man would be the wiser The
proposed system would make voting decent.
dispense with heelers, and by lessening the |
eEpense enable the poor man to run for |
0f3re-
4Ir Cal Wyatt desired to know whether
it would not be necessary an amendment to
the constitution should be effected before |
any such reform measure could become law. |
Mr.. Yardley said that the constitution re-
quired the ballots should be numbered, and |
so voting could not be secret. They thought |
In Philadelphia that if the numbers were |
turned down at the corner and secured with |
paste that the difficulty could be overcome.
He had his doubts about that.
Mr.. Wyatt said he was interested in the |
system, as he thought it could be applied |
with success to organizations. It would
prevent bribing and the purchase of votes,
which was carried on to some extent IN Or
ganizatIons of which he had cognizance
Discussion then turned on the applica-
tion of the system to societies, and its ap-
or the reverse was freely entered
into.