The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-01-22
ENVELOPE BALLOT BILL INTRODUCED
The kAomentous Question OF Jour
nails Settled at Last.
Women's Suffrage makes Its First
Appearance.
A Blow Aimed at the School District
System.
rSnecial 10 the Press.

system.
Especial to the Press.l
AUGUSTA, January 2l.-The report of the
State House Commission TO the Legislature
has been made. The Commission consisted
of Governor Burleigh, George e. Macomber
and E. q. Allen, Of Augusta. Lewis Barker
of Bangor, and Henry ingalls, Of Wiscasset
with G. s. Hichborn ssecretary. After con
sidering the plans carefully, the Commission
entrusted the work to Brigham & Spoffort
Of Boston, who ,have faithfully carried ou
their designs.
The contracts for the work were awarded
to the lowest bidders, Booth Brothers Of
hurricane Island for the stonework. and M
G. Foster & Son of Waterville the balance
except heating and ventilating. wiring anG
lighting, and elevator work. The contract:
were awarded May s, 1889.
The contract for heating and ventilatine
machinery was awarded to A. ID. Ward Of
Augusta, the lowest bidder
Inc nnanclal portion of the report shows
receipts of $157, 800; $50 600 from the legis.
lative appropriation, $4,000 for the boiler
house, and $2500 for interior repairs on the
hall of representatives.
The expenditures aggregate S157. 1864, di-
yided as follows: Booth Brothers, stone,
$50. .49964; NJ. G. Foster & Son, S92. 1877 90
A. A. Ward, steam heating apparatus,
$S,098: interior work, including wires and
lights, $4.178.23; furniture, S3.14650; fees of
architects, $7,400; stoves, light and heat dur
ing building $729; salaries of commission
ling expenses and incidentals, $69O4l; SER
vices of Professor Woodbridge, $511
amount yet due, $235.
june 8, 1889, the first blow was struck, and
January, 1, 1891, the building was turned
over to the state. The Commission recon-
should be so altered as to make it fire-proof
and harmonious in appearance with the
new.
The architects report. which is subjoined,
shows the addition to be substantially built
aud fre-proof.
The following is list of sub-contractors
engaged in the work: Iron work, Megquer
y Jones, Portland; marble, iMessrs. Charles
=. Hall q Co., Boston; plumbing, Charles
Greenwood. Lewiston; plastering, Jos. <.
Augusta; ventilation B. f. Sturtevant, Bos-
ton; granite, Jos. Archie & Co., Hallowell
Granite Company, and Mt. Waldo Granite
Company.
The Secret System of Voting.
new complication has arisen in the situ-
alton as regards the Australian ballot sys-
tenn. This is bill introduced by Mr..
Thayer of Waterville in the House today,
providing for secret system of voting, not
unlike that of the Clason bill so far as the
fittings Of the polling places are concerned,
but widely different in its other provisions.
Ii this bill becomes law. the state will fur
nish not the official ballots provided under
the Massachusetts law. but official envelopes
III which ballots may be cast. That Is the
main purpose of the law, the theory being
that ballot enclosed In an official envelope
will be as useful in preventing bribery and
intimidation rs the method established by
the Clason bill. But this is view which be-
levers in the Australian system, as that sys-
TEN is generally understood In this country,
are hardly likely to share.
Section one of the bill provides that all
ballots In national, state, district aud county
ed in official envelopes.
Section two provides for the Issuing of
such envelopes to the clerks of cities, towns
and plantations 30 days before an election.
of legal voters recorded at the previous elec-
tion, and requires officers receiving such en-
velOpeg to receipt therefor. The envelopes
shall be not less than three inches in Width,
and four inches in length, aud facsimile
of the signature Of the Secretary of State
Section three provides for the distribution
of envelopes to the several voting places in
a city, town or plantation, and for the keep
ing of record In the clerks office of the
number so sent out, and the receipts of the
officers receiving them.
Section four makes it the duty of the
clerk to provide other envelopes, subs n
TALLY like the official envelopes, provided
those issued to any city, town or plantation
are lost or stolen. The term state election,
as used in this act, shall apply to any elec-
tion held for the choice of a national, state,
district or county officer, whether for full
term or for the filling. Of vacancy, and the
term state officer shall apply to any per-
son to be chosen by the qualified
voters at such an election. The term "city
election" shall apply to any municipal elec
ti0n so held in q city, ard the term ''city Of
ficer" shall apply to any person to be chosen
by the qualined voters at such an election.
Section five provides for the appointment
by the municipal officers of cities, towns aud
plantations, of clerk for each polling place
whose duty it shall be to distribute an offic.
ial envelope to voters at the entrance Of the
voting enclosure Such clerks shall receive
reasonable per diem compensation and nc
person who is candidate to be voted for
shall be such clerk. The clerks shall hold
office for one year or until their successors
are appointed.
Section six provides for an enclosure
where the voting and preparation of ballots
shall be done, and voting shelves or com
partments where the voters may enclose
their ballots in the envelopes while screened
from observation. The number OF such vot
ing shelves or compartments shall be moi
less than one for every 100 voters, and moi
less than three in any town and not less
than flve In any city ward. This section al
so provides for the exclusion of all persons
but the election officers and voters, from the
voting encl sure, and others admitted by the
nff fnr fha nf b. fnr
order.
Section seven provides that not more thar
one voter in excess of the number of votinl
shelves shall be allowed within the enclosure
at one time.
Section eight is as follows:
On receipt of his ballot the voter shall forth
with and without leaving the enclosed space, re
tire alone TO one of the voting shelves or c0mpart
ments so provided, aud shall prepare his ballo
by enclosing the same In the official envelope pro
vided. He shall vote In the manner now provid
ed by law before leaving the enclosed space. III
shall enclose and deposit his ballot without delay
ana shall quit said enclosed space as soon as h,
has voted. No such voter shall be allowed to Oc
cupy voting Shelf or compartment already 0ccu
pied by another, nor to remain within said en-
GioSe9 space 5f more man Ten minutes nor TO occu
minui es in case all of such shelves or compar
ments are In use and other voters are waiting t
whose name has been checked on the list OF tn
| ballo officers, shall be allowed to re.enter sal
| encioSeu space curing Salu electl0n.
Section nine provides that no person sha
| remove any official envelope from the pol
| Ing place before the close of the polls.
Section 10 provides for the assistance b,
the election officers in enclosing in the ofic
ial envelopes for such voters as are physical
ly unable to do this for themselves. Th
| presiding officer, If he desire 1t necessary
may require such voters to make oath befOr
him Uf their disability.
Section II provides that when more thar
one ballot is enclosed in an envelope. wher
a ballot is thrown without being enclose
| and where ballots not provided in ACCORD
aDce with the provisions of the act are cas-
such ballots shall not be counted.
BY section IL, the time for opening an,
closing the polls Is fixed as not earlier tha
6 a. m and not later than 8 p. m.
Section 13 fixes penalties for certain often,
es as follows: For showing ballot with IN
apparent intention by the person so doing
letting it be known how he is about to yot,
for making false statement of inability
enclose ballot, for interfering or attemntjn
TO interfere with any voter, a fine of not le,
So nor more than 500. Election office,
shall report such offenders to the police off,
er in charge of the polls, who shall sea In,
they are brought before the court.
By section IA penalty of a fine of nr
more than 800 or Imprisonment In iajl mo
exceeding one year is imposed on any perso
who shall destroy any official enyelope I
take the same away from the enciosure T
wilfully delay the delivering Of any enyelor
or who shall take any official enyeIope on
| side the enclosure before the close of ~