The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-07-30
THE AUsrRALIAs BALLOT LAW

SEATTLE, July ~.
ToTHE EDITOR: In your article in SATURDAYS
PosTI.TrLLisEEcxE on the new election laws
aud the recent municipal election. you uI-
Justly claim for the Kepu lican party the
honor OF giving the citixs Ms of this state the
Australian system. The history OF this reform
III the Uni ed ststes proves that the machine
polite ans Of both the old parties have opposed
il bitterly. in this state the honor of bringing
about this beneficial reform Is due to the trade
nnionists and Knigh OF Labor, who, beginning
three years ago. distributed at their own cost,
tens Of thousands OF ballot reform tracts. not
only TO their own members but TO the general
public as well. When, by virtue OF the ena-
bling act both the old parties made nomina-
lions for the constitutional convention. the
trade unionists and Knights of Labor .ef
King county. who tried TO have both par les en-
dorse it. only succeeded in getting . plank to
that eff ct in the Democratic platform. Perhaps
the Posr-IETELL gENcER can explain why the
Republican party did not endorse It, Again,
after the election the trade unionists and the
Kn ght OF Laber distributed ballot reform tracts
TO the members OF that convention while In SEES
sion explaining the sysem, and by petition
prayed the convention TO provide for it consti.
tutionally. The sui iect was brought before the
convention by one of the Democratic m embars,
but owing to the opposi ion OF the Republican
newspapers land the Posr-IsTELLIeENcER was
one OF them) aud the Republican members OF
was legislative one and not q constitutional
one, 1t was defeated, although, By the way, in
this country at least, elections always
precede the making Of laws, and it seems res-
sonable to suppose that Il q constitutional con-
vention can provide for an election IL can also
provide the system OF election. Montana had .
constitutional convention about the same time
this state had, and II am not misnform q the
Montena convention provided for the new sys-
tenn coustiiutionaliy, and q majority of the
members the Montana constitutional conven-
ton were Democrats. IL Is true that the Hon.
John Kfnnear, Republican member Of the
state Legislature. fathe-ed the Australian ballot
reform bill, and Is also true that many Re-
pubicans voted for it. but II is not true that il
WAS party measure The chances are that II it
had not been for the trade unionists and
Knights of Labor. who posted the legislative
members by tracts and petitions, and proved
beyond the shadow OF doubt that IL was a bet
ter system, and likely to become popular, II
never would have been mentioned either by Re-
pubical.s or Democrats. In an editorial which
appeared in the observation-disclosures of June
22d, you say: 1.-THE history OF every great re-
form is the history of grand achieve
ments from small beginnings. a. q result
in the first instance of individual exertion. In
its incipiency 1t has been a contest OF one indi-
viduai, or Of small but devoted band of indi-
viduals, against the errors the Indifference Of
the multitude" In the end 1t il the reformed
multitude that gives its volume to the tidal
wave, and 1t is only by virtue Of this tidal wave
OF popular opinion that politicians Of either
party pay any attention to reform movements.
Wendell Phillips, William Lloyd Garrison, John
Brown, Wflberforce or Br0ugham did not walt
for tidal wave Of popular opinion before they
made any effort for reform, but the politicians
are not that class of men. Now, Mr. Editor, 1t
matters little to the people OF this state who
gets the credit of this reform. or OF any other
reform, and it matters just as little to the indi-
vidusls who brave the displeasure of friends
and the sneers of enemies for the sake Of q more
perfect social ami political state. at is not the
winning OF the prize that honsrs; 1t is the do
ing of the Decd" and If you had not claimed
the credit OF this reform for the Republican
party. the trade unionists and Knights of Labor
would certainly never have mentioned It. II
you believe in honoring those who work disin-
terestediy for the public good and in giving
credit where credit is due, then you will give
the credit OF our new and beneficial elective
system to the trade unionists and Knights of
Labor. ALEXANDER WALLS
fNoTE. - The Posr ISIEILIGxNcER claimed
that the Republican party gave the ballot reform
law to the people OF this state The ballJt re-
form bin was prepared by a legislative commit
tee consisting entirely OF Republicans, was
passed by Legislature Overwhelmingly Repaid
lican In both branches, receiving the vote Of
every hepuDlictn memDer oil potn House and
Senate, with single exception, aud was signed
by Republican governor. Under the circum-
stances it would seem that the Republican party
is justified in claiming some share of the credit
for the passage of the bill. Mr. Walls will
doubtless admit that IL the Republican members
of the legislature had opposed the bill it would
not today have been the law OF the state. Mr.
Wa Is is in error in stating that the constitu-
tional convention OF Montana Incorporated the
ballot reform bill in the constitution OF that
state. The Montana election law was enacted
by the lsst territorial legislafure.=Enl