New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-05-03
THE sAXTON BILL A LAW
.,, ny THE GOVERNOR AND FILED
STUNT n,pru THE SECRETARY OF STATE
ava MEMORANDUM SENT ALONG WITH THE
xr,erRF BY Mn

nv TELEGRAPH ~ Hill has signe


nv TfLhcH'i" .srnor Hill has signed
Albany Nav 2.-troVerhoi Am II. 6led !,
-, sayton's Ballot Reio'i" ..nr,oor W,th
80 ,bs Secretary of State '''N d,,, stating III.
wiz .n.re wa, filed Ions men'o'"" ,ho h;n Tho
C.,srnor's reasons for Ss
.uorandum SAYS IN P" 10 he concentrated on
The people of the 30 oaetuent Of reasonable and
ling Al lsst secured thc ,aw
constitutional %. unanimous support OF each branch
~ the Legislature. ana r
demands Of public a. !. a perfect measure 1t must
u ia not clameU o,tans many cumbrous and I'M
be conceded ms . which might moie wisely nave oe'h
necessary che tesul, Of the h'imomf'uoh o' MANY
r'hhn" -. II presents a. "n', " i",f 49,
''iD' .,,Me Of erectng s''H'
reform. ..wever no matter how excellent. can
re'srm ha To make IL success IT needs the sup
not eno. ur.sement Of both the Ponuca4 par"e WIN"
PORT anu "a an its enactment. Nlthou' 'he au "
have unea a,cen, public sentiment I'm Its favor. It
ffenap eeure the purity and independence IN our eie'
80 A confidently p'eN'' ~ -
s.',ed bv every good ciu@'', 49,. A.. 1891. ,,oo
heen nv earnest cndcavor during the pa", thr'o
~ ...u,e the enactnent OF law WHICH "hie pre-
,,,s re purity OF our eloctsn> ana pfono'ut ~" III
se''". n tho voter should not unnecessarily infringe
oepc"" lit AZ citizens or violate constitutional
uP'" I have not believed that reform CONSISTED
- in making the exercise Of the elective if'hchs'
s,~,nt and complicated. l have regarded J." A. m
ol, "a, the path 70 the baloi-box should be mado
g., lain and unobstructed to the honest elector -
a. -, "a rr,ct.cal statute could rcnder 10. and A.
=. nrh. s.fetv would permit ! have steadily opposed
go, eeo-t 10 impose unnecessary restrictions ana I'M
,,.,tleahle regulations upon our election system "h'n
az not ADAPTED free Institutions or whih woua
-, oot elections enormously expensive and NcNatous
- . % IA regretted however that such endeaVors have
- teon partially .ccessful. In the interest Of an
,ono-,he corpromiso % diverse opinions aud with
,,,.e desire 70 agree upon bill which should accom-
i,,h something toward the purhcaton q our elections
,er though ~ shall be wholly satisfactory have
,,s,,,nod 20 Weld my views s. 70 several provisions
rhict I must siil deem imperfect aud which firmly
believe viii he generally regarded when the defects
h.u be more fully disclosed in the practical operation
Of the system
have no, stronuouslv insisted upon con-
,e,,on. in regard 70 the details Of the measure.
40 long a. 10 surrender o. essential principles has been
d-prncipes vital 70 the maintenance OF free
manhood suffrage.
II NAV. however be safely asserted that the con-
r,onal objections heretofore urged the other bills
non the SANE subject been removed and the other
rucipal objections previously suggested have been
Largely obvated.
The Governor then refers to the changes
wrought since the iirs1 oil was introduced. and
reviews in detail tie features OF the present Dill.
apparently for the purpose of claiming the credi'
for everything In conclusion he saws
II e 70 be regretted that proper general registration
electors is not provided for In the bill II Is true That
have heretofore insisted that such provision Is
ece.sary Accompaniment OF genuine electoral reform
I'll and should De contained therein. have y7eded
~ views upon point only upon the ASSURANCE that
uch measure which was agreed upon BY the leading
CONSERVATIVES OF both political parties and which passed
ne senate nearly unanimously, would also pass The
assembly, l have relied uTon the good faith Of the
.egtslat,re I'm respect TO that bill approving this
Measure with the registration provisions omitted
The new method u voting which this method adopts
not the Australian system. but IL ia material modica
ion u IT, The good features Of that system have been
ought 70 retained this while it, bad
nave been rejected. The method NAV more appro-
Driately be styled the American reform election system,
because practical rather than theoretical reform.
and is In with our American theory of govern
ment.