The record-union., 1891-02-26
Weather Forecast.
DIGGING A REPUBLICAN GRAVE.

DIGGING A REPUBLICAN GRAVE.
The ballot reform bill on Tuesday in
the State Senate met with an obstruction
that surprises and discourages its friends
Its consideration was put over for two
days. Every Senator voting against TAX
ing up the bill is Republican, every
Senator voting to consider it is a Demo-
crat. Yet it is measure upon which
party lines should not be drawn, nor can
they be legitimately invoked, for there is
no party politics in it. 1t is purely a
question of craftsmanship and of the
furtherance and betterment of the pro-
cesses through which self-government is
accomplished.
The Democratic party at its last State
Convention pledged itself tor the reform
without any reservations; that it indi-
Gated the Massachusetts model as most
desirable for adoption, was only dirct-
ory; what it was mandatory upon was
the injunction to pass some ballot reform
law. The Republican party in its State
Convention lodged the question, yet by
generalization expressed itself as favor
ableto all measures to secure fair elections
and honest counts. Had it done less than
that, it would have been untrue to its
traditions. It's candidates upon the stump
in the succeeding campaign frankly an
nounced their belief in the necessity for
reformation of the election laws, and
whenever confronted with the question
point blank, pledged themselves to favor
law substantially based upon the Aus
tralian system as modified in the United
States.
Now comes the two great parties into
the Legislature, and we find the Demo-
cratic minority championing ballot re-
form bill that is conceded by those best
informed upon the subject to be the best
ever drawn, to embrace all the virtues of
other election laws and to avoid the errors
of other reform systems. We find the
Republican majority at the very heel of
the session, when a days delay imperils
any bill, voting to postpone considera-
ton and threatening amendments that
may necessitate recommittal, which
means defeat of the measure.
If the Republican party becomes re-
sponsible for the rejection of the Senate
committee bill, either by direct vote or
consent to fatal delay, it may prepare TO
to dig its political grave in this State in
the early future. No party can expect to
bow to the will of the bosses in this mat
ter and command the support of the
people. For the bosses alone oppose the
ballot reform bill. No man can stand in
his place in either Senate or Assembly
and advance solitary reason for reject
ing the bill that has not score of times
in this and other States, been shown to
be weak, fallacious and without footing.
No measure. however beneficent, how
ever humane, however American, can be
proposed to which the carping cannot
oppose objections. Nothing is easier than
to find fault, to suggest doubts and inter-
pose fears. 1t is very easy, indeed, to
point the way, but more difficult to walk
in 1t. But these are axioms the bosses
and their servitors care nothing about.
Their aim is to secure defeat of ballot re-
form, because its adoption closes up the
lucrative business of the vote hucksters.
The man who is sincere in his opposi-
tion to the bill will advance substantial
reasons for his faith; when these are
shown to be erroneous and mistaken he
will yield and testify to independence and
manliness by confessing his mistake.
But the mere doubter, the legislator who
contents himself with the suggestion that
the measure is not in his opinion an inn
provement upon the present law, and
who proposes no method for correcting
confessed evils in the existing law, or to
defeat the rascalities practiced under it,
lays himself open to the suspicion of be-
ing boss-ridden.
Friends of the reform will respect hon.
est objection to it, which is coupled with
the suggestion of better means to pro-
tect the integrity of the ballot-box than
the Senate Committee bill proposes. But
those who simply object, and who offer
nothing better in substitution, must ex-
pect to be marshalled by public opinion
among the enemies of public interests.
If Republican Senators and Assembly
men permit at this session of the Legisla-
ture the defeat of the ballot reform prin-
ciple, they will convert themselves into
sections, and may proceed forthwith to
burial of the Republican majority in Cali
fornia.
SOME friends of the prison parole sys-
tenn fear that California has not yet at
tanned that condition which is necessary
for the successful operation of the sys-
tenn. These fears are not warranted.
Very true, the State is thinly settled as
yet. but its civilization sis level with the
reformatory work which the bill aims to
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