The morning call., 1891-03-08
The Ballot Reform Battle.

The Ballot Reform Battle.
SACRAMENTO, March7.-The last phase
of the consp racy TO defeat the Will
Of the people touching ballot reform
was revealed this morning. The bold and
shameless tools Of the bosses were in their
seats ready To conSummate the treason
plotted against the Republican party and
the people, but the contempt that was law
ished upon them was nothing to the scorn
ana detestatiun hurled at the empty seats Of
members who had solemnIy pledged their
honor TO work for the bill Dibble was "a
diant with delight. He leered at the friends
of the bill, and smiTked at himself until
the muscles of his face relaxed One request
after another tor leave OF absence was made
ard granted, until IL was manifest The late
u the measure hung by hair.
BRUNER THE PURE.
" Me tco," Bruuer said. He desired to
discuss the bill is matter II public policy.
He had received many requests 10 pledge
himself TO certain measures and lie mad
thrust them into The WaSte-DaSkeJ with ap-
propriate contempt. He tried to show the
men who mad pledged their honor to vote
for the Ballot Reform Bill that they could
safely violate those pledges because the Dill
had been changed. He opposed the bill be-
cause it was expensive and cumbersome,
BIuner has voted 10 add many burdens 10
those now borne by the taxpayers, and that
is probably the reason why he was opposed
t. adding this last straw. lie, the man OF
purity. said the bill would be fertile
source OF fraud at the bailut-GOx. lie then
Tecied all the objections which that other
exuuuent OF Lurity, Mike de Young, after
infinite mental travail, has discovered
Mr.. Cunningham made a ScatnlHg arralgn-
intnt OF the hyp0CrItes VINO were oppOS ng
the bill because tEey Stid ii would perpelu-
ate bcSSi>m, He declared that every boss
in the country from Hill Of New York TO
Dibble OF California was lighting the bill.
He WAS UNFErTERED.
Matlock If Tehama strained his intellect
IN al attempt 10 show that the Ballot Re
form Bill was framed by the bosses. a
change has come over Matluck Slnce the
warm days u the campaign He then
peCged his word Of honor to vote Tor the
Federated Trades bill
Il owe no allegiance to the Federated
Trades" he beloved. Il will not be
bound ny any pledge wrung from ne by in
timldalIun.'
Would you have been elected if you had
not pledged yourself to the county plat
furm?' B.edsoe asked.
Il think l would
If you had not pledged yourself to sup
port The State platform would yOa have been
elected p
a FLIGHT OF ORATORY.
Matock gave an evasiye answer aud went
on with long winded speech against the
bill in which he tried to make his hearers
think that lie believed what he was saying.
He wanted the old way OF voting. the grand
old flag al the head of the Republican
ticket. the grand old American eagle al the
head OF the grand OLD Democratic ticket, q
grand Old DEM john with the grand old cork
out at the head OF the grand cid Prohibition
ticket and then i the trades unions, want II
ticket Overlooking mug of beer the source
Of their inspiration would do very well for
Lhenl
And what kind of a vignette would you
have at the head of the pledge-breakerS'
ticket? asked Shanahan.
The question dumfOunded the grand old
p!edge-breaker from Tehama. He gasped
out a silly reply about a Democrat upside
down, and was about to resume his ha-
raugue when Arms of San Francisco arose,
and slowly aud deliberately, and with
strong emphasis, read the following pledge
MATLoCK's BROKEN PLEDGE.
pledge my word of honor that will, if
elected TO represent the citizens Of the
Seventh Assembly District in the twenty
ninth SESSION of the California State Legis-
latuTe, al all times advocate, urge and vote
for the proposed reform ballot law, as sub
IN lifted by the Council of Federated Trades
and the Legislative Committee of the Cali
fornia Stale Grange Patrons of Husbandry,
until the same shall become the law of the
State Of California, with such amendments
as may be found necessary by the legiSla-
tive committees Of the State Grange ana
Council. j, L. MATLOCK.
An Uutburst of applause mingled with
boots followed the reading OF the pledge.
The pledge-violator admitted his guilt, but
said he had written to the gentlemen who
asked him TO sign the pledge that he would
vote for the best ballot bill, and after his
election ne had come to consider the Dibble
bill the best ballot law.
At the hour for recess tue question was
still undecided. half the seats in the As
semby were empty, and the advocates of
the bill glOomiiy confessed that DlDbles
desplcable tactics. combined with the cow
aTdce and dupllGlty OF the san francisco
pledge breakers, had defeated the bill.
During the noon hour The enemies Of the
bill resumed their tactics TO defeat the
| measure.
PLEDGE-BREAKERs SCORED.
When the Assembly was called 10 order Rob.
eTtson maze a mastery speech in favor Of the
bill. He demolished every position taken by
| Dibble, and decaIe ell that action Oh the bill had
been delayed by Dibbie IN order that he might
| induce tile members who were pledged to Its
support 10 believe that they were Justified IN
violating their solemn promises. lie scored
Barnett, who last night said that he was going
To break his pledge because lie had been cOeiced
luIO making 1t iy The tolerated Trades, as ''lidt
pfInui manikn from San Francisco who did not
know thar lie bad been coerced until Dbble told
him." and h. alluded to iatlOck III terms that
the lawyer from lehama Will not care to have
repeated TWO wears hence.
MORE FIRMLY CONVINCED.
Gould OF MERGED, who always speaks well. sur
passed himself. He said: II have been told that
| there wUuid lie adduCed arguments against this
| bill III the face OF which no honest man could
| vote for II. Charged with that admonliioD i
have carefully listened TO lie arguments that lis
| opponents have attempted 10 make against II
and now in my mind there IS yet nrmer couyc-
ton than When this debate began that this Is the
| bill demanded by th~ people Of this State. he
| gentleman from san Francisco IN a finished ad-
| dress OF an hour 10 Ibis Assembly, endeavored
TO destroy This bill, and yet IL stands intact with
! net q slUgle reason yet adduced why IL should
| mol pass. II may be that II not Il perfect
| measure. IL Is not tue nature OF human things
| 10 lie perfect but | want 10 ask every man two
! questions. FIsI-ls 1t not one of Tie desires OF
! Inc people of This State to prevent bribery anu
I'M Initiation at elections? Secona-ls II not The
! demand OF the people TO have some law which
| shall curb the rule OF bosses? 1t has not even
been asserted that the ballot OF any One after
| having been cast could be identified. This being
the case aud The voter screened from the ubsef-
walton OF all how eau Intimidation be exercised,
OF how can the man who bays his money for The
vote b. assured That lie Will receive tile c0nsd-
Grafton?
JUDGE NOT THE SOURCE.
- II has been SAID that this t. The bill OF the
| Federated Trades. Ii Is not true; but l do not
cafe whether IL Is lbe bill OF the Trdel ated
| Trades, the Farmers Alliance, The Republican
| party or Of the angel Gabriel. IL Is good Thing
and am for II, aud l despise man who VIII
condemn a noble thing because Of It's source.
! The g nleman says We cannot yOie for Pres-
dent under this Bill. Can lie not take SAINT lie
| ballot, which Is placed In The hands OF every
voter, TO his home, and If lie cannot read let his
wife mark the name that lie wants 10 vote upon
! II and then cory II on his Official ballot IN the
! privacy oil his booth. The voter must mol only
! have lie privilege OF a defense against Drbely
and intimidation but lie must be forced
eept 1t. If you place a ballot In the hands of a
voter and no OtieI human being can Know what
| names ave marked Ipon II, you place II beyond
| the power of the boss or of the purchaser, If
| there be one. TO be assured that the goods have