Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-02-06
AUSTRALIAN BALLOT.
Arguments For and AGAINST ths Pro.
posed System.
A Very Larss Gathering OF Interested
Listenoss,


Friends and foes Of the Australian ballet
system were out In good numbers yestsrdAy.
So general vas the interest felt In the
hearing that il soon became evident thas
the judiciary room would not begin 10 hold
all who desired TO attend II. An adjousn-
ment was accordingly had to the repre-
sentatives hall which was soon well nlled
with an interested audience. In opening ths
hearing chairman Walton said the hearing
wonli be upon the petitions in favor of the
system. Mr.. Clason first introduced Mr..
John Gardiner Of Gardiner. In addrsssibe
the committee Mr.. Gardiner said thsa with
men at the ballot box pencil In hand mark.
ing the manner In which each voter sxsr-
cised the suffrage, full and fair
expression Of individual opinion could
not be obtained. He sAid he had him.
self been In Boston during the last election
and had personally visited dftsen or
sixteen polling places and noted the opera
lion Of the Australian system. In every
one he found n working in perfect man.
ner. All were delighted with II. He
then read from = number Of Boston papers
editorial and personal commendstions Of
the system and the manner in which Il
worked. He closed by urging upon the
committee to aceede to what he believed to
be n great popular demand for the system
by reporting in its favor,
Mr.. Looney of Portland said that o. he
understood the Clason bill il vas practical.
ly the Massachusetts bill. II that bill was
passed he was sure that II would BE- Of great
value to the state in securing d
fair and free expression Of public opinion.
He said he had been In Msssa-
chusetts during the election and had seen
the practical operation of the Australian
system. He described ito admirable work
ings. He showed that the arrangements
at the polling places for putting Il into Op.
Grafton 40 far from being complicated and
| expensive were, ,ss n matter of fact, both sim
pie and inexpensive. A. he saw the voting
1t was absolutely impossible to ascertain
how any man voted. That VISA known only
to himself and to his God. Hs said the
hrst great benefit that would come from
the system would DO in the prevention OF
bribery. He spoke Of the large cusrup-
ton funds expended by the political parties
in Portland, BPunswick. Bangor,
Augusta and other places. lie
.sid that there were In Portland some
900 "hoAters," who were on the market and
could be secured by the political party thst
bid the highest. In Brunswick he vas
told by member Of one Of tho political
committees that 42b0o were expended in
purchasing votes. In Bangor Il was nOto-
rious fact that money played most impor-
tsnt part in elections. In that city III ,
Bangor Whig was strenuously opposing the
system. Yet this came paper q the time Of
the Greenbsck overthrow, whom ito editor
was defeated candidate, came out
In fArlnR headlines, declaring that the
Fourth District had been carried by
bribery. Now, 1t might be possible that
great wave of reform and regeneration had
swept over the State since that time, but
he didn't believe II. He believed there
was just ~ much bribery in Maine today
as there was in 1880. Mr.. Looney re-
fcrred to the fact that Mr.. Blaine
bad declared that the Republican overtnrn
Of 1880 was the result Of large corsnp,
ton fund brought into the State at the last
moment. He closed with On i'm
passioned appeal to the committee to re-
port in favor of the system and secure to
the State free. untrAmmelled ballot.
| Chairman Walton asked Mr.. Looney II
he had known that bribery had bssn peac-
tised when be was elected TO the Lsgisla-
ture.
Mr.. Looney---I had no legsl knowledge
Of it, but bad moral knowledge that such
WAS the case.
"Did you make any attempt to stop ~"
| IL should say ! did, when came here
to the Legislature and introduced . bill
calculated to prevent It,"
Continuing, Mr.. Walton inquired Why,
IL Mr.. Looney knew that bribery vas In
progress at the time Of bis election, he did
not then and there make an attempt 10 stay
1t To which Mr.. Looney responded that
he did not have legal knowledge Of the
fact; th,t was thing very difficult 10 se-
cure. He did have, however, moral
knowledge Of the fact. When, ~ he sp.
prosched the polling place, he hsd sssn
bribers taking men in behind buildings. he
knew very well--was morally certain that
bribery was in progress.
Mr.. Wslton--How did you know that
men were bribersr
Mr.. Looney-I did not have legal
knowledge, but l had moral knoWl-
knowledge Of tin fact, members Of the
city committees Of both political parties
have told me that they have used money 1 II
elections.
| Mr.. Wnltop---But that 10 heresay. What
we want are facts. You believe, do you.
that the system under which Maine cleo
tions have been held seventy years 10
sholly wrong, and invites bribery and cor
ruptionf
Mr.. Looney-I do.
Mr.. Walton-"And We have been oil
these years without finding IL outS"
Mr.. Looney-"Mr. Blaine discovered !,
Ten years ago when he sent letter all over
the country, declaring that bribery had
carried the state election.
Mr.. Porter Of Bangor here asked II Mr..
L,oney was before The committee In thu
capacity Of counsel or Of . witness. II
the latie, he desired to ask him Q few
questions.
Mr.. Walton said thst the gentlemen Who
were pYesen. were there ~ sdvocstes Of the
measure. II they did not object they
might be questioned.
/ Mr.. Looney said that there were several
ether ~ ntlemen who desired 70 bs heard
and who wanted to get away on the after.
boon train. After they were gone he
should be pleased to answer any questions
the sgentleman asked to the best Of
bis ability.
Mr.. Walter Emerson OF the Portland
Advertiser said that the measure under
consideration represented the opinions Of q
large body Of young men. and this vas bill
excuse for appearing before the commi'tes
in its advocacy. He had, In the interests
of the Advertiser, made an invsstigasion
into the cost Of the system by writing ths
seiectmen Of various Massachusetts town,
in relation to II. Only two Of all thsst
towns reported an outlsy Of more than ~
tor the system, and ali ranged be
tween - and $50. From every
where came the vsrmest commends
ton for the Vstem, many who befoY,
is introduction had opposed Il, beins
enthusiastic in It's behalf. The avefsa,
expense of the system in the large number
Of towns carvsssed on the subject was onl,
si5 This covers the whole ~ the expepss
tor future elections IL nothing or ct least
mere trife. In the matter OF printing and
distributing ballots including the cost oi
two extra inspectors At each polling place
IL il less By more than one-haif than undsl
ths old system. The last election Il
Massachusetts cost the state juss ee00l
for ballots including $1,000 fof advss
fContinued on Sd psse.l