Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-15
THE PARTISAN BALLOT REFORM.

1t is a rather unique development OF the
ballot reform agitation that has been pro-
duced by the fact that the Democratic con-
ventiou osly pronounced for reform like
the Australian system, while the Republi-
can plat orm calls for constitutional
amendment to do away with the numbering
of the ballots now required by the Constitu-
tion. The consequence is that a number of
Republican organs which before the conven-
ii on hardly revealed any knowledge that
such an issue as ballot reform was in exist
ence, are now protesting that no ballot re-
form is genuine unless it has the words
constitutional amendment blown upon
the bottle, and are arraigning the Democrats
for insincerity because, they did not de-
mand the abolition of the constitutional
provision, which makes detection possible
in cases Of ballot box stuffing.
The insistence of these organs on the
constitutional amendment is the most
uniuue example of the order of new converts
yet on record. They have the justification
of the opinion OF Lieutenant Governor
Black in favor of the constitutional amend
ment and they are making the most of 1t.
Il does not appear vital to them what the
other details Of the reform shall be. Pro-
visions TO take away the excuse for I'm
mense campaign funds, to prevent bogus
tickets or TO abolish wire pu)lers at the polls
ARE not worth mentioning. Tho one thing
that IL required Ia the abolition Of the con.
stitutional provision, requiring tho umbsr-
Ing Of ballots. II 10 no more than fair TO
specify that this attitude IL not universal
among the Republican press. A very hon
orable exception 10 presented by the Repub-
liean organ Of this city which only the
other day quoted the Hon. Charles II. Bucka-
LEWIS assertion of the value Of the constitu-
tlonal provision, and wisely discouraged
the tendency TO cast aside the safeguards
which have worked 80 we'll. But the Re-
publican organs which are seeking 10 make
the question State issue, have fairly
committed themselves to the position that the
one ballot reform which they insist upon Is
the one that will reopen the gate to the
counting Of stuffed or substituted ballots.
An honest and fair view OF the subject Is
that both parties have agreed in indorsing
the objects to be gained by what is known as
the Australian ballot system. On this
point they occupy the same ground. These
are the prevention OF corruption by taking
away the excuse for immense campaign
funds and by preserving the secrecy of the
ballot. Under the impression that the
latter consideration requires the amendment
nf tha
vention called for such an amendment; but
this is mistake. The object OF the Aus
tralian system is to protect the voter from
corruption and undue influence before the
ballot is cast. The object of the constitu-
tional provision is to protect the ballot
when it is cast and to make detection possi-
BILE if other ballots are substituted. If these
two purposes were irreconcilsble the latter
would be the most vital To cast away the
safeguard against false counting or bogus
ballots would be the opposite of reform.
But they are not at all antagonistic. The
secrecy of the numbered ballot can be pre-
served by requiring the lists to be sealed be-
fore the ballots are counted, only to be
opened in case of contests and by order of
the courts. II any of the drafts of ballot re-
form enactments make any provision for
detecting the substitution or false counting
of the ballots by dishonest election officers,
they must provide for the Identification of
ballots by the courts in case OF such charges.
As the State Constitution already contains
such a provision, it is evident that it can be
brought into harmony with the required
secrecy as perfectly as the most jealous bal
lot reformer could desire.
1t is thus clear that there is no occasion
for an issue among the friends of ballot re-
form in either party on this subject But it
will be healthy to remember that if the Re-
publican organs, which are trying to make
an issue of it, persist in their demand for
the constitutional amendment, they put
themselves on record as in favor of the
ballot reform which will make ballot box
stufiug possible, in the future, as it has
been in the past.