The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-01-03
pOWDsRLY SPEAKS ON BALLOT REFORM.
Need OF System Which Will Free
the Wage Earning Voter
From the Fear OF the Man VINO Can
Cause His Discharge.
Australian system an importation Of
Which To Be Proud.

SCRANTON, Pa, January 2.-General
Master Workman Powderly sounds the key
note Of ballot reform for 1890 in Iongi and
vigorous article on the Australian system Of
voting. In answer TO those who say the sys-
tenn is not American, Mr.. Powderly says:
'If we do take from the old world a system
which her experience has shown TO be the
nearest to perfection, 1t will stand to our
credit, fully as much as the taking OF the
bravest and best Of the world with which to
start out and maintain the nation we are so
Justly proud of. Did we import nothing
more hurtful than just system Of ballot re
form, we should indeed be deserving OF con-
graduation" -.,--,
working Of the Australian system and Us
benefits, Mr.. Powderly asserts thai y VIII
absolutely abolish bribery and intimiCaJl0n
at the polls and make the voter free man.
He adds: "The resident Of Scranton has
only 10 travel back in memory TO elections
recently held TO see men who occupied posi-
tions as superintendents, foremen aud petty
bosses In the works around this city, stand
ing at the various polling places with boxes
containing tickets under their arms. Onder
any other circumstances these men would
e carry s,d sos pTxss' not have eSs
the sight Of some one efss~-a efss~-SS@.@ hos xere Here
such an effect on the wOrkmen WnU
employed where these superintendents, fore
men and bosses held sway. lt Is true That
no one can swear that workmen have been
influenced by these men, but every man VINO
tolls for living knows what II is 70 stand In
sight Of his foreman and take ballot from
a ticket peddler, who represents party IN
opposition to the one In whose behalf the
foreman interests himself No law can or
should be passed that would prevent a SUI
perintendent from peddling tickets, Tor that
would interfere with his rights as citizen.
and, as a consequence, we are forced 70 sno-
NIT TO a system Of espionage and tntlmida-
tion that practically decides the election In
favor Of one superintendent, or foreman,
and against the hundreds OF citizens whose
bread and butter depends on not crossing
his will at the polls. 1t Is quite an easy
matter to advise the workman 10 assert his
independence at the polls and ignore the
boss. Put yourself In the place OF a work
ingman who has a wife and five or six helpless
children dependent upon him for supports
look into the cellar on that morning In raw
November and count the number Of barrels
of flour, bushels Of potatoes, or pounds Of
beef. Count the number OF little feet that
will require shoes during the winter; sum
up the expenses OF the household, and then
look into the pocketbook with nothing In It
but the hope Of the next pay day Then walk
up before the man who can at word, de-
prive you Of chance to earn dollar during
the whole winter and refuse 10 take tne
ticket he offers you.
ut is expecting too much OF human nature
TO ask a man to sta-ye his children for the
sake of his vote. and right here In Scranton
men have been discharged because they did
not vote at the dictation of a petty boss,
who exercised the right to peddle tickets as
a silent intimidator. What Is true Of Scran-
ton Is true Of every other industrial centre in
the United States" Mr.. POwderly meets
the objection urged against the system by
those who say il will disfranchise the Hitter
ate. and declares that 1t will afford the man
who cannot read greater security than he
can possibly receive under existing laws.