The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-03-06
THE GREAT DEBATE HAS NOW BEGUN.
The Australian Ballot Bill Was Dis
cussed Yesterday.
Judge Stearns Thinks That Only a
Few People want 1t.
Mr.. Clason's ForcIbIe and clear.
Gut Statement OF Facts.
Especial to the Press j

Especial to the Press.l
AUGUSTA, March 5.-The debate of the
session was begun this morning in thu
House. and the interest In the question o.
the adoption of the Australian system wa:
shown by the large attendance. every availa
BILE place being occupied by spectators. Mr.
Stearns of Caribou began the speechmaking
speaking for about an hour. Mr.. Stearns II
opposed to the bill. and made an excellent
presentation of very poor case. Mr.. Cla
son, who followed, spoke only about half al
long as Mr.. Stearns, but presented, clearly
and concisely, many of the arguments ad
vanced in favor of the bill At the conclu
sion of Mr. Clason's speech, the House ad
journed on motion of Mr.. Chadbourne Of
Biddeford. The debate will be resumed to-
morrow.
1t was quarter to eleven when Mr.. Clason
moved to take from the table the majority
and minority reports on the bill. Immedi-
atsly after this motion had been made. Mr..
Stearns Of Caribou moved that the report Of
the minority of the committee that tie bill
ought not to pass should not be accepted.
Mr. Stearns referred to this measure as per-
haps the most important that has been be-
fore the Maine Legislature for 25 years. To.
day, he said, while we are discussing the
system in Maine, the people of the great
country just across our northern border are
voting under this system. and they have
found 1t to be system which permits brib-
cry to an extent to cause shame to be felt
among the good people Of Canada. Mr..
Stearns said that he had letter from a
prominent lawyer of the Dominion, who
wrote that under the Canadian system brib-
cry was Of wide extent. Mr.. Stearns also
read despatch published In the Portland
Advertiser some time ago respecting the use
of money for the purposes OF bribery In the
elections then taking place in the Dominion
by the means, as the despatch said, so well
known to the Canadian politicians.
He then traced the growth of the system
which he said originated In South Sea ISL
theorists desired to have tried here to pre-
vent bribery. He said these young men had
declared that there was bribery in the state,
but older men who knew more about 1t said
there was none. He said there had been no
proof of bribery adduced.
Mr.. Stearns then proceeded t. an argu-
ment to show that an open ballot is less like
ly to foster bribery than secret ballot. He
spoke of the former secret elections OF
United States Senators when 1t was said leg
islators were bought shamelessly.
But there is another thing urged as a rea,
1t is a measure of reform. The speaker
thought that it was reform which might
prove step backward instead of forward.
The friends of this bill fall back upon the
assertion that the people want the measure.
1t is said that the petitions which have been
received here voice the sentiment OF the peo-
pie but the signatures to those petitions rep.
resent only small fraction of the people OF
Maine.
Another reason urged for the passage oi
this bill Is that the newspapers represent the
wishes of their readers. Mr.. Stearns spoke
ably and persistently to degree not often
seen favored this bill. He mentioned the
papers that did not favor 1t. He thought
that neither one set nor the other reflected
public opinion.
He then proceeded to argue, assuming that
bribery does exist, that 1t will continue, Aus
italian ballot or none.
This bill was first announced as being just
what was wanted in Maine, methed based
upon the Massachusetts law, but while II
was still before the judiciary committee, the
Beverly incident came up and 1t was neces.
sary to change the bill. Mr.. Stearns claimed
that the whole thing was experimental. Ii
was good enough for the ticket-of-leave man
in Australia but 1t was not a proper thing
for Maine.
When this bill was first presented 1t was
said that its passage was matter oI course
but as time went on opposition to 1t crystal
lized and grew strong. Then 1t was seer
that the bill could not pass and the papers
who were supporting It announced that 10
its original form the Clas0n bill was doomed
the first bill, said Mr.. Stearns. he
was more opposed to the second. II
would throw a political bomb among the Re
publicans in the smaller towns. With this
optional clause, Mr.. Stearns thought that
the bill would be generally adopted In small
ho in 70 of
with the Democrats, proceeding calculated
to stir up feuds among the Republicans. The
bill would also ktend to demolished party
lines, which was tendency deplored by Mr.
Stearns.
Mr.. Clason, father Of the bill, reported by
a majority of the committee, defended his
measure, making a clear and convincing
argument iu the interest Of a purer ballot
holding the attention of the House closely.
Mr.. Clason said in substance:
"The strength and durability of govern
ment like ours, depends upon the free, un
trammeled expression of the will Of the peo
pie. Whatever practical means of agencies
that will better afford the most correct ex
preston should be promptly adopted. Il
should be the aim of every PATRIOTIC citizen
to throw every safeguard possible around the
ballot box, to the end that 1t may
register the unbiased sentiment of every
voter. The American people believe in fail
play, they will be as well satisfied with 6
majority of one vote as majority of thou
sands If they believe that the majority |:
honestly obtained. The loud cry OF fraud,
bribery and intimidation that goes up from
the party papers, alter their party has beer
defeated, shows that something is wrong In
our system of voting. At least that there
are possibilities for fraud, for IL there die
not exist fraud, or strong liability Of fraud
no newspaper would attempt to raise thai
human cry In the ears of the intelligent vot
nfM Mntx I do not fnlo ots,Nr arfa vtf
do not think that we can ever have an alb
solute fair election where there is any con
test, until we reech state Of affairs tina
not be likely to occur In the present genera
tion at least. Yet think we can improve
greatly upon our methods of conducting
elections. am aware that In suggesting s.
radical change as that called for In thi
bill, that the burden of proof Is upon thu
moving party. 1t Is necessary In all fair
ness for us to show the imperfections In thu
present methods of voting, the advantages o
the secret system, and its praticabllity.
In considering the first proposition. 'th
imperfections of existing Methods dom
propose to claim that bribery and intimida
tion exist on every hand, that our election
are SO honeycombed with fraud as to be
stencil In the nostrils of every honest man
nothing Of the kind. What do claim /
greater or less extent in our state. To wha
extent for the purposes of this debate 1t doe
exist propose to leave to the Intelligent
and knowledge of each individual membe
of this House. You each know to what ex
tent 1t exists In your city or the towns wbicl
you represent. will only say that In con
versation with members of this Legislature
have been astounded to learn that SO mucl
corruption does exist In certain portions q
| our state. 1t Is sufficient for me TO show 4
| you the possibilities for bribery and intimi
| dation under our present system.
'The briber, or his agent. can take a ma,
| to the polls, place ballot In his hands. an,
see him put it in the ballot box. There Is n
doubt as to the party voted. Not only is tn
briber sure SO cases out OF every 100 bnt h
knows in every case just how his mar, voted
| Is system that will admit Of such practice
| a commendable one? l care not whether
| has been In existence one year or sevent
| years, the facts are the same.
"What has been said In regard to bribar
| of voters, and the certainty of deliverv q
| the goods applies with equal force to intim
| dati0n of voters. What Is intimidation
| voters? 1t is the use of any influence hevon
legitimate argument, and agencies tendinS +
| educate the voter. To illustrate: An an
| ployer says to his employees, 81 want Won - !,
vote for my interests, and it is for my inte,
| est for you to vote for such men, and 7 sha
| take care of those who take care of me.n 4
the precinct where the employe votes IN