Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-03-07

IoI Pklcc II ue US ~ top1stI 49, -
goods can be delivered easily. Every bal
lot esn be identified, If If be the eesire OF
any shrevd person. Nov. wnss snsii
We say about the old iaw -
stands on euy statute bocks2 Does anyone
/ here dare attack thss old Law? Is there
aay need Of sny defender for il: II has
stood there 10. years. it Is ptAln. simple
and direct. child e4a understand Il and
the laboring man, though fool, need not
err therein. 1t has bsen voted under BY
cur fathers and cur sranifs;hers. IL has
stood there for generations and has been
accepted AMI acknowledged - snfacieaf,
and now. il this wicked and perverse gsner-
siien We are called upon to do Awsy wish ~
| Gentlemen, believe that il re % hops
aad honestly and faithfully attempt 10 en-
| force the Iax Is i, now stands. We would
have no need of psssiug any Australian bal
Let Law or any law Of this kiad-
| Mr.. Callahan Of Lewiaoa-Thsrs il no
| question so paramount in interest IN the
| State TODAY - the question of baiso. re-
form. Individuals, socieiifs xrd corpora
| ton. ray s,trse, and claim cur attention in
| matters of special legislation, but the bill
| nov under consideration means legislation
for the entire people Of this State Not
only in this State. bus in nearly every
state il the Caion, hi. question las been
| faliy ,nd thoroughly discussed, and IL
| every Instance has been sealed ID favor OF
| the secret ballot That leader Of states
| men, liz his canvass for the presidency In
| 1884, said; "A free ballot is the safe
guard Of oar Republican institutions, with
/ out which no national welfare is sssured.
| The integrity or the safety of the republic
rests upon the integrity Of the ballot.
| Great IS has been the trial which
this nation hss sustained, splendid as
have been the achievements OF Democracy
| in Americs. We are composed Sill with
perils that threaten to put our insti utions
| 10 trial and severe test. We are tod,
Mr.. Speaker, that there is 10 demand fer
| ballot reform. Yet Thousands and hun
dreds Of thousands all over this land have
ca.t their votes in asking for legislation in
| this direction. II is because of the almost
unanimous belief that elections are decided
by undue Influences. 1t is because of the
| Startling use Of money. Il is because of
the tricks Of few msnipuls,ors, while the
| majority OF voters are traded IN blocks
| without their consent. An election is not
the free expression Of the peoples will,
unless every voter can east his vote
IN safety. without fear Of injury to his
person, his reputation or his esteem.
There is no question so important as this,
which will enable every citizen to come and
| cast his ballot without fear and uotram-
meled for the candidate of bis choice. How
| often have We seen men come u the poll-
ing place who. through fear Of thei, en-
ployer, doubt or fear the result that will
ensue b. voting sgAinst the wishes of the
boss who stands guard at the ballot box,
not for free ballot, but for forced one.
This is one of tne wrongs that will be
rlghted under this bill. A free ballot and
fair count is what the Republican plat
form has proposed to us year after year,
but Am sorry to see gentlemen of that
party here oppose that bill, the corner
stone of which is TO allow man the free
dom Of ballot. The city whick l represent
in part on the floor of this
House l am proud to say desires secret
ballot, without regard to party. This bill
has had q remarkable history. Wherever
tried success has attended it. 1t can no
longer be regarded as experimental. IL
has passed that stage and today the system
Of the secret ballot is the will of the
ma )rity Of the states of this uni)n and is
fast tinding favor all over this land.
[ ader Hi, system every voter will feel en-
| Outraged to exercise the igbt of franchise
and the act of voiog will be accompanied
| with the dignity and decorum which ehould
accompany that act. The objection has
been raised in regard to expense As
elections are held for the purpose of de-
terminiug the means of csrrying on the
government, why should not the government
| bear tie expense incurred in its ir-
t-reet? The ballot is q device instituted
for the convenience of electors TO aid
in deciding eIec.ionss 1t is expected THAI
the electors will use that in the interest of
good government 1 do no. for one mo-
ment cherish the thought thxt any system
can be devised which will efectuslly and
and completely remave all influences hos
tile to m honest ballot, but under this act
they viii! be greatly diminished. Ststs-
ments are made here, and il il sweet music
10 hear, in regard to an honest. open ballot
before the world, so that everybody could
see it. But few months ago in one of the
states of the union, the day after the re-
suit of contest for certain gentleman
10 Congress, it was announced 70 number
Of gentleman in the employ of a certain
large firm that their wages were cut down
20 per cent. For what. For votiug sgainss
The wishes of that concern. DO you cali that
4 free bsllo!? IL is mockery TO talk of
free ballot wh'n a man is compelled to
vote sgsins, the dictates OF his own con-
science, bu. according 10 the dictates OF
others. 1t vas said yesterday, in speaking
OF the open ballot, that under the present
system of electiDg senators there is not SO
much corruption as there was in days gone
by. Is it not notorious fact that
under the old system, in the Senate
chamber today there are men who hold
their offices nat from their intellectual
capacity but through the millions az their
commando The gentleman from Ess.
Machi8s says that in the country districts
1t is becoming the custom to take away
politics from municipal sff.its, to break
party lines and to get the best men, and
that the passage of this bill viii counteract
that tendency and divide the parties. My
friend from Caribou in his eloquent effort
yesterday feared The very opposite. He WAS
afraid that it would break party lines.
1t was necessary. he said, that We should
bsva two political parties, and he addressed
himself TO the Republican members of the
House upon that very question of breaklfg
party lines. Gentlemen, there is one other
thing that has not been stated. and il for no
other reason than that would vote for this
hill. and that is 10 stop the use Of liquor in
our cities ~ it is used on election dsy.
Applause have seen men brought to
she polls who could not be bribed by
money to vote in contradiction 10
what they thought right, but in the hands
of come knave who knew their weakness
they were brought to the polls and deposit
ed their ballot. not Of themselves, but with
that person almost holding their hands
while they deposited that ballot. Do you
call that the vote of free man? No, sir;
!, is the vote OF a slave in the hands OF
knsve. Under this bill it csnuo. be done.
A man must 60 into the polling place him
self, call eff his name. take bis bsll1t, go
to he booth, come back and deposit that
hsl'ot himself | doubt if great many Of
the people who oppose this bill have ever
seen il in operation L. myself, read the
bill thst was Introduced here two years
ago. read the Massachusetts law and
though, myself that it Was kind Of cumber.
some but when came 10 see it, gentle
men. it was very simple. We come to the
polling place. The voter comes in and
calls off his name. lie is handed
r ballot. He goes 10, and even
the gentleman whom the member from
East Msehias has mentioned coull take
that official ballot and take the ballot that
he hsd prepared" himself into the booth.
write the names On that bsllot, come ont
and deposit the ballot. Ii Was stated that
We lad bribery under this bill, but the
story va, rot told in fun. They did no,
tell US that bribery in the city of New Bed
ford Was brought to justice and the briber