The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-01-13
FOR BALLOT REFORM.
Pastor Scudder S1ashes
Around with His Pull
pit Shil1e1agh.
CHEERS FOR GROVER CLEVELAND.
he Is for. IAN official and a Secret
Ballot---A Wicked Politi-
cal World.

Pastor Scudder's discourse on Ballot
Reform last evening packed the Taber-
nacle auditorium and thronged the gal
lery Several hymns, including America"
and "Keep Your Colors Flying were
spiritedly sung by the congregation led
by a choir of over thirty voices.
The pastor took his text from Isaiah,
I.VII, IA; ..Take up the stumbling block
from the way of the people"
two hundred thousand people in this
State,'' he said, 'swere anticipating the
passage of a reform ballot bill bill by the
coming Legislature 1t took the people
of this State long time to become thor
oughly imbued with q principle; but
when once aroused, woe unto the man
who dared to stand before the avalanche
of public opinion. They would brook no
opposition The ballot box, the corner
stone of the American political structure,
had been ruthlessly torn from its po-
sltion and allowed to become stumbling
block in the way of the people.
An effort will be made to put it back
where it properly belongs, in compliance
with the expressed will of the people.
APPLAUSE FOR GROVER CLEVELAND.
The pastor expressed the belief that
Governor Albeit will move in that direc-
tion. He would stand square upon his
promises. He hoped it was not true that
Governor Albeit held the same views
upon the question of ballot reform with
Governor Hill, of New York. He eulo-
gized Governor Albeit and said he had
too much sense to follow Governor Hill
in this matter; but would rather be
guided by the spirit that animated Grover
Cleveland in submitting to the will of the
people.
[At this juncture there was evidence of
n loci fn
sGo ahead and applaud if you so de-
sire,o said the pastor; and probably for
the first time in its history the old Taber-
nacle rang with the applause of Cleve-
lands political admirers.
The matter of political reformation was
to be tested within the next few weeks.
1t lies between upper milestone of public
opinion and the neither milestone of politi-
cal pressure. We are anxiously awaiting
the result. Governor Albeit would rise
superior to the situation. The people
knew too much to be deceived.
Mr.. Scudder thoroughly discussed the
essential features of the Australian sys-
TEN. The people of Massachusetts, had it,
The people of New Jersey wanted it, and
they were going to have it. If Mr.. Albeit
refused to sign the bill he'd make the
greatest mistake of his life. His popular
ity would begin Immediately to wane.
A SHOT FOR CITY OFFICIALS.
The present iniquitOus system had put
heelers, bummers and bruisers, and it was
now at the mercy of brute force. One
fifth of all the voters of this county were
in the pay of the parties. Which party?
Both plead guilty to charges of bribery.
Votes were sold at the price of one shoe.
A man who would sell his vote could not
be trusted, and would vote the opposite
ticket out of pure cussedness An army
of men were paid to see that the bribed
voter voted as he was paid to vote. Boo
die was omnipotent.
The principles of American institutions
had been laid aside and Plutocracy had
assembled the throne.
The only remedy for the existing politi-
cal evils was a secret ballot. 1t would
record the secret will of the people. A
legitimate sum should be appropriated by
the government for election purposes and
documents pertaining thereto filed with
the County Clerk, to which the public
should have access. Ii fraud was found
the perpetrators should be disfranchised
and imprisoned
MACHINE NOMINATIONS.
Nominations should be made by petit
tion and by primaries. The evils we com
plain of cannot be remedied by the
primary system. The political lambs
thought the people made the nominations,
but they didn't know the A, B, of
American politics. Ii they didn't agree
with the machine it was all the same |
Efforts to rectify evils by attending the
primaries were antiquated and adopted
only by q few old fogies. A decent man
couldn't stay in the room where primaries
were now held. His wife wouldn't let
him stay in the same room with her after
his return from primary, He must air |
himself first. The whole system was
practical monopoly.
If a man wanted to run for office, the |
only way to get into the swim was to fall |
down in front of the Boss and kiss his |
toes, swear eternal fealty, and she'll out |
the money he demands.
Mr.. Scudder argued exhaustiyely the |
advantages of all official ballot, the print |
ing of the same paid for by the Govern |
ment, and the circulation of differently |
colored ones before the election to ac-
quaint the voter with their official con-
tents. The ballots should be numbered, |
and have duplicate stubs, after the man !
ner of the handbook check system, and |
none but the official ballot should be al |
lowed in the box This was OF vital and
paramount Importance
He criticized the method of classifying
and scheduling the offices for political |
assessments. The slight difference be-
tween the salary and the assessment was
a menacing temptation. The practical
politician of the day regarded it as |
eniinently proper to accept bribes, and |
cared no more about the common veal |
than his dog cared about the moon The |
municipal departments were filled with |
parasites and leeches. The present |
system was an octopus that had fastened |
itself upon our government, and each |
arm was full of suckers.
ON THE POINT OF REVOLUTION.
"When people become so aroused as |
they are at present we are not far from /
revolution. A prominent judge said the |
evil was SO great that he was almost ready |
to join with mob and hang the perpetra- |
tors to the nearest lamp-post.
''For my part" said the pastor; 'I |
would not favor this; but would sincere |
ly like to attend their political funerals |
THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER.
The Rev MIR. snoderass Describes 1t as a |
Tyranny.
The Rev. w. G. Snodgrass preached a 1