The record-union., 1891-04-05
MORE HISTORY OF THE BALLOT.


the reform ballot law. Thus, within two
months, four States have fallen into line
on this question. Oregon, California,
Nevada and Maine. 1t is remarkable
fact that in Maine the adoption of the bill
was successfully resisted for two months
by Mr.. Boutelle and small following, on
the ground that its adoption would injure
the Republican party. This was put for
ward as an argument, as if the State ex-
lists for party, instead of party for the
State. The opposition was maintained
though every Democratic paper, nearly
all the Republican papers, and the Demo-
cratic party as unit favored and de-
manded the passage of the bill. A pc
tition signed by 100000 voters was sent
up, asking the passage of the measure,
and mass meetings of non partisan char
acter were held all over the State in the
interests of the bill. Yet the Republican
membership of the Legislature voted it
down to limitation that made it a farce
to wit: That it should apply only to
towns of more than two thousand popu-
lation. The rural sections resented this
amendment in the House. Even then,
when it came to final vote, the party re-
jected the bill as emasculated. The Sem
ate took upthe matter, passed the bill,
and sent it to the House, which finally
passed it by very small majority, with
out any amendments.
1t will be noted how similar was the
situation in Maine to that in California
concerning the reform. The party that
we have never looked to for progressive
ideas became there, as here, the advocate
of the greatest political reform of the age.
The party the traditions of which are
that it had always been foremost in re-
form opposed the bill there as it did here
The passage of the measure was there, as
here, finally conceded, but only under
whip and spur. The argument there, as
injure political parties. We are writing
history in these days, and, however hui
initiating it may be, the record is made
that while in Massachusetts, New York
and Indiana the Republicans We're the
friends of the ballot-reform bills, in
Maine and California they were the
stumbling blocks in the way.
In this connection it may be mentioned
that Mr.. Saxton has been making heroic
efforts in the New York Legislature to
correct the evils of the ballot reform bill
passed in that State year ago, but with
very little success, owing to the unalter-
able opposition of Governor HILL There
the political parties print the ballots, and
the voter goes TO the polls with a fist
full' of tickets Of the most bewildering
variety. All the efforts of Mr.. Saxton to
overcome the objections of Governor Hill
10 a single official ballot have proved
fruitless. He has succeeded, however, in
having the clause struck out requiring
the ballot clerks to indorse their initials
on the ticket. 1t was that proposition
that the REcoRD-UNIoN fought out before
the California Legislature. But tho at
Ueihp1 70 SI4NS out the p2SIer Scneme,
which Tammany tagged upon the law, has
failed in New York. So that the Empire
State is as yet far behind genuine reform
in her ballot law, and the experiences of
her voters next fall must not be cited as
evidences against such a law as California
has The trouble in New York has been,
that the Republicans did not stand firmly
for the true bill; fearful that they would
get nothing, they compromised with the
Democracy. and as result have hybrid
measure of doubtful virtue.