The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-09-17
BALLOT REFORM.
Senator Werts Explains the
Practical Workings Of
the New Law.


at Pohlman's last night to listen to the
address of Senator Werts upon the ballot
reform law. The Senator and audience
were the guests Of the Pioneer Demo-
cratic Club.
Among those on the platform when the
Senator arrived were President r. ]. Nc
MILAN, of the Pioneer Club; Charles
Esterbrook, Assemblyman Andrew j..
Boyle, Coroner Brackner, Colonel Mean
erney.s Siegfried Hammerschlag. Henry
A. Gaede, Colonel Spielman and
Counsellor Vanderzee The meet
ing was called TO order by Mr..
Charles Esterbrook, who introduced
the presiding officer of the evening. Mr..
r. J. Mcmillan. Mr.. Mcmillan said:--
Gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure
to extend to you all, irrespective of party
affiliations, a cordial welcome on behalf
Of the Pioneer Democratic Club" Mr..
Mcmillan then stated that the reason of
the call for the meeting was the necessity
Of explaining parts of the act revolu-
tionary in their tendency. A tele-
gram, he also said, had been received
from Governor Albeit regretting his in
ability to be present. He then introduced
the speaker of the evening, Senator Werts,
who said:--
"Gentlemen, we propose, this evening,
to discuss the subject of ballot reform as
expressed in the law recently enacted in
this State. In preliminary. desire to
quote from the constitution the part
on which this act is founded. !"
He then quoted the section of the
constitution relative to suffrage. You
will observe no educational or other
qualification is imposed. Except as a
punishment for crime the Legislature has
no right to limit or abridge this constitu-
tional right. All qualifications must be
rejected as unduly interfering with the
franchise A perfect ballot reform law
must secure four things:-First,
The independence of the voter
unawed by individual intimidation;
second, that only lenal voters shall vote;
third, the prevention of bribery. 1t is
obvious that no law can be enacted That
shall entirely prevent bribery. Fourth.
that votes cast shall be honestly counted
and the ascertained result honestly de-
clared. No law can be enacted that shall
be proof against fraud centered in the
Election Board.
WHAT is A BALLOT REFORM LAW.
'These four are the main results to be
obtained by ballot reform. Any measure
that in any degree accomplishes these re-
suits is TO that degree ballot reform
measure. 1t is said that the necessary
attendant of ballot reform is the official
ballot. A great deal of misapprehension
is rife concerning the meaning of that
term, official ballot. Many seem to re-
gard it as ballot surreptitiouSly to be
obtained and surreptitiously cast. 1t is
needless to say that such an idea is er-
roneous.
Having thus generally prepared
slider the the ballot reform law in
this State" The Senator then
gave history of the Ballot Reform bill
now so we'll known. In speaking Of the
presentation of the bill by Senator Nc
Donald, he said:-"Your Senator, the
Senator from Hudson.n This was greet
ed with great applause.
He conJinued:-"The bill as passed con-
sists of seventy-four sections. The first
thirty-three contain the registry law; the
next thirty the Ballot Reform law proper:
and the rest of the bill contains the PEN
alties." After giving an epitome of the
in which the most beneficial results may
be obtained except by non partisan regis
try boards supplemented by non partisan
election boards" The Senator then
passed to the consideration of
the ballots and exhibited a speci-
men ballot which would have been
used If the Republican substitute pill
in size. The Senator then described the
present ballots and said they must be
alike and indistinguishable xcept by the
candidates. names. 'sThese ballots are
to be obtained five days before
election and distributed in any way
chosen. and furthermore The
law requires that each voter shall receive
one ballot of each party from an official
stationed at the polling place, and there
are also official ballots in the booths.
The voter, after he receives the ballot
from the official. must enter the closed
booth and enclose his ballot in
the official envelope which he re-
directly to the ballot box, deposit his bal
lots. The envelope and the ballot therein
must be voted absolutely free from all
distinguishing marks. Any system that
provides for covering q ballot all over
with marks is vicious. When marked
ballot was proposed by the Republican
substitute bill an educational qualification
in effect was proposed. There is no good
reason why the voter should not be al-
lowed to prepare his ballot in the security
and seclusion of his home. The proper
thing is to make the ballots as free as air,
as under the present Democratic law.
Bribery and intimidation could be prac-
tised to a greater extent under the Re-
publican bill than under the Democratic
bill
ITS PRACTICAL WORKINGS.
'"The operation and effect of the pres
sent law will be best observed if we fol-
low the working man from his home to
the ballot box. His employer will prob
ably, before the day of election, receive
through the mail and from friends, bal
lots of all parties. The employer who
wishes to influence the vote of the en-
ployee will not be able to get near the
voter to see what ticket he votes. He
could do that before, but he cannot
now Say the employe takes ticket the
employer gives him and says he will vote
it, On mis- way to the booth he meets
ticket distributors from whom he also re-
celyes tickets. AS he proceeds he encoun-
ters bribers of different parties. One says
five dollars, another ten. ALI money is
taken and promise given to every one.
He goes in and votes as he pleases. What
assurance has briber or employer that the
voter has followed his promises?n
There was liberal applause after the
speech, and the Senator answered ques-
tions put to him by his auditors.
VACANCIES FTTTED