The record-union., 1891-10-21
THE ELECTION LAW NOT A
PUZZLE.

In the discussion of the approaching
election contest the idea has been put
afloat that the new election is ''gem
puzzle" and it has been so designated;
others have declared that the law is ga
mess of tangles," ''mixed-up matter"
and one lawyer has been led to declare
the law incomprehensible.
No man should pay so poor compli
ment to his own intelligence as to confess
that it is not understandable to him.
We should regret to be driven to Judge
tellectual scale as to be unable to compre-
hend the reform ballot law. There is not
a frst-grade grammar schoolboy in the
land who, after a careful reading of the
instructions to clerks how to print the
ballots, will fail to understand them.
They are as plain as the nose on ones
face, and only those can fail to compre-
hend them who lack natural intelligence
or who do not wish the law to prove sue
cessful in operation in California. From
that proposition it is simply impossible to
escape.
The RECORD UNION has said that if one
marks X opposite a party designation,
thus voting straight ticket, and then
marks x opposite the names of candi-
dates, he willlos his vote. Now it is not
@ 1raSnpt CuaStioD Ubat[ar +biS &c +~,,o.
nor does it concern anyone but the Elec-
ton Boards and those by law commanded
to have instructions to voters printed and
made public. But the RECORD UNIONS s
statement has been denied and pro-
nounced error, and the statement made
that if one marks an X opposite the word
straight following a party title, he
votes straight ticket, even though he
also marks X opposite candidates names.
1t will occur to the thinking that if a
ballot were stamped thus: Republican
Ticket Straight X,' and the X also ap-
peared opposite the names of the Demo
cratic nominees on the ballot, then an
election board would be one of ninnies
that would attempt to count such ballot
in the face of this plain provision of the
law, which for simple, understandable
English is a model. The italics are ours,
but are cordially dedicated to all who
find the law "a gem puzzle":
'Section 1877. At the head of
each ballot shall be printed upon the
ballot, in separate lines, the names of all
political parties which have filed certifi-
Gates of nomination of candidates, in ac-
cordance with Sections 1856 and 1IS7 of
this code, thus: Regular Republican
Ticket Straight Opposite the name of
each party, and on the same line there
with, there shall be margin similar to
that herein required to be left opposite
the name of each candidate, in which the
voter may place the mark in the manner
specified in Section 1905 of this code, If he
desire to cote for all Of the candidates OF
such party but a ballot so marked shall
not be counted If it be stamped i2l Gay
otheT place except to indicate vote or
votes upon constitutional amendment
OF other question"
1t win be seen that the RECORD UNION
was right when it stated that if one marks
Y opposite the title of political party
which has with it the word straight in
parenthesis, he must not make marks
opposite the names OF candidates also,
unless he wishes his ballot TO be cast out.
The truth is, the law is not "a gem puz-
zle;" it is not "all tangled up" It is
clear, simple, straightforward, and is
enforced in twenty-seven States of the
American Union, whose officials and
citizens ought not to be rated as superior
TO ours in intelligence.