Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-02-11
BALLOT REBORN.
3ho .Co0mittso On Textiles Lasts Q
70 Savings Bank Orators.

1he Committee On 1sxstioa Lasts
70 Savings Bank Orators.
/ The judiciary committee ssve the hen
ing on the Clason bill IN their room insses
Of in the Representatives Hall - vas q
pscsed.
Hon. J. N. Haines Of Augusta said ths
the man who thinks be is acting indspend
snsiy viii be Influenced more by the rsa
Ieaders Of influence. Under this p.opos ID
Australian system he believed that VI
shall get the same leadership Of those vhs
are born leaders - We do now. The Iest
Of reason 10 one far better than what ".
often gst under the present circumstances
Furthermore be did not think that the Cha
son bill would effect the condition Of ths
political parties in this State Neither dic
he take any stock in the trivial objection
shout 6nith and Jones having trouble ia
making their mark. II they in some spe.
eisi instances found slight difficulty they
would soon learn BE believed in the In.
telligence Of the people.
J. Il. Manlsy Esq. then addressed the
committee. Mr.. Manley said he could noI
agree with some statements which had been
made before the commute with regard to
bribery in this state. There had, he be-
hsved, been Wild e1Asgerafion. That there
vas bribery to some extern: ali must admi.
lssxisted In Maine and elsewhere, and he was
In favor Of the Australian ballot because It
vas check TO bribery. 1t would serve to
| make the polling places more decoro1s.
| L nder It man can deposit his ballot in a
| manner unknown to all unless he wishes to
make it known. lie thought il wrong that
the bill didn't apply to municipal elections
| in town. Is well a. cities, or 10 towns and
| cities alike. He would suggest that the
| names Of the political candidates be
arranged in parallel lines 90 that the
voter who wished TO vote the straight ticket
| might do 90 without making more than one
check.
Hon. o. d. Baker Of Augusta wished 10
express his judgement A. - private citizen
The measure has passed beyond the phase
OF experiment. He believed in il al. &
Republican and 90 an American citizen
He could never believe that bribery va.
| rampant in this state; but that there vas
small per cent Of bribsble votes no one
you'd deny. No danger TO the republic
can arise but from corruption of the suf-
frage.
Hon. J. II. Drummond Of Portland
had been present at many elections ~ is
the duty Of citizen. At the present time
men are hired to 20 to the polls and dis
tribute votes. This Is the fault Of thos.
now advocating this bill. Parties are nee
essary and believe fully in them. am
opposed TO this bill a. ii now stands.
have understood that no amendments to the
bill would be allowed. | do not believe
that it will hurt anyone TO associate with
their fellow citizens at the polls. 1t is a
dude argument that it will prevent dis
turbsnce At the polls. II is said that the
bill will prevent bulldoHiDg. find tha'
the supporters Of this bill are trying to bull
doze the Legislature into passing IT, There
will be bribery under every system Of voting.
II Is difficult TO tell now whether the goods
were delivered or not There will always
be bribery. Another argument in favor OF
the law is that it will prevent improper
nominations. Where one name is cut be
cause IL Is an improper nomination, five are
cut from mere personal reasons. The
Australian system encourages both the ex-
change Of party candidates and the cutting
Of votes As q matter of spite. The bill Is
drawn in favor OF the independent voter
All the mistakes in this like those Of doe
tors, will be buried. The bill will disfran-
chise FIVE per cent Of our voters who can
not comprehend its machinery and will cast
defective ballots. was in Boston last
election day and was disappointed in its
workings. The Democratic heelers gave
the voters sample ballots and watched
them A. they made crosses at similar points
on the official ballot. The Law
throws the isboriug oar upon the man who
wants to vote the straight ticket. |. Is in
the interests Of those who wish to over
throw parties. II the tickets were printed
separately this would abate the chief objec
tionable feature of the bill. The men who
scratch votes are niue tenths Republicans
The Democrats know that their men don't
bolt, and - shrewd men they uphold this
bill. The mugwumps are all for it. The
fact that the public demand the bill should
not influence Legislators.
SHon J. M. Haynes of Augusta said tina,
his first impression of the Law were unfavor-
able. see members of the Republican
State Committee very frequently aud am
satisfied from what they say that the reform
is great advance upon the old methods.
Mr.. X. +. Chalk Of Kennebunk, srgued
that the workingman would be more bene-
fitted than anv other by the bill. He was
the one who was dragged to the polls by
the heelers.
Charles f. Allen, of Dresden, spoke
especially for the workingmen. He said
bribery is the least Of the evils which the
bill seeks to correct, and that intimidation
was the chief
Frank f. Hovey, of Pittsfeld, was OPP
posed to an Australian ballot, though per-
hsps not to all secret ballots. There 10 no
need Of it in this State. The accounts of
intimidation are greatly exaggerated. The
towns neither need nor desire it. Under
the Australian system. bribery and intimi-
daton can be practised as we'll as under the
present system. The people Of New
Brunswick are tired of the law, and easily
defeat its intent by means of stickers. The
feeling in the eastern part of Somerse,
county is overwhelmingly against the law.
Judge Woodbury. of Bethel said that the
statute would take away the manhood Of
voters. In his long experience he had
known neither vote buy ing nor vote selling
The Australian ballot would cover up
bribery, not prevent it.
Mr.. J. c. Rollins of Gardiner had been
highly pleased with the workings Of the
system in Massachusetts. 1t there does
away with intimidation by employers.
Frank f. Southland, Esq, Of Augusta.
had little sympathy with those who come
Dragging OF the men at their back. He
came for himself alone. The workingmen
Of Maine have been insulted and slsndered
by the speakers. They need no kangaroo
nor convict law to enable them to vote an
honest ballot. There is 10 bribery in
Msine. The Democrats win in Water
vile aud Biddeford because they
are in . majority. The Republicans
win in the State for the same
reason. Parties are absolutely necessary
and the ballot law will do away with them
He then presented, at the request of John.
w. Chsse, q clipping from Boston paper
showing the effects Of the system.
Mr.. A. W. Nichols Of Augusta spoke for
an organic s.ion of workingmen. Of which
he Was one. He said that the bill was good
enough for them, and they we're the ones
who were to be benefited by it. From :heir
ranks does the ward politician make up his
catalogue Of shame. He said that we
workipgmen have now psrtsken so much
of the tree of knowledge Of good and evil
that no fig leaf of Thayer bill will cover
our shame.
Mr. Geo NJ. Bartlett of Presq1e Isle
thought three fcurlhs of the people in the
State were in favor of the bill.
A. NJ. Goddsri. Esq, CT Augusts
thought that apathy was greater political
difficulty than bribery sad asked fsr a dig
tiusuishine mark between the parties or
tho ballots large sect IN of this State