Los Angeles herald., 1892-08-01
rae KANGAROO ELEcrloN Law.


The new-fangled political jgger,
known as the Australian ballot law, is
undoubtedly intended to guarantee to
the workingman a certain amount of
personal freedom from the domination
of his employer. So far, so good. But
the objection to the law is the cumber
ous machinery which attaches thereto.
To the average American voter, who has
merely been used ito registering and
dropping his ticket in the box, it is
awkward and can never become popu-
lar. The following occurs in a recent
issue of the Examiner:
To the Editor of the Examiner: SIR
Please let us know the full particulars
about the new way of voting law. Ex-
plain how the tickets are, if they
are numbered or not, and oblige,
A SUBSCRIBER.
Plainsburg, Cal.
Ballots are to be procured from Of
fetal ballot clerks inside the polling
booths, and not from ticket peddlers
outside, as heretofore. The voter indi-
Gates his choice by stamping a cross OPP
posite the name of his candidate for
each Office. II he wants to vote
straight ticket he must stamp cross
opposite the name of his political party.
ii he does this he must not stamp any
name of candidate. or his vote will be
thrown out. The ballot is prepared in
a private compartment and folded, and
is then taken to the inspector. The
ballot is numbered for Identification by
the inspector, who must assure himself
that the number of the ticket given him
is the same as the number OF the ticket
given the voter by the ballot clerks.
The number is then torn off and the bal
lot dropped in the box, where it cannot
be identifed.l
For the past fifty years the election
laws OF the United States, as we'll as OF
the several states. have been the sub
ject of constant tinkering on the part of
men either anxious to pose as reform
ers, or to leap, at single bound, from
obscurity to fame, or, perhaps we might
better say, notoriety. Horace Hawes
was the author OF the registry law OF
1866, which cost our state great deal
OF money and never achieved any prac-
tical benefit. There has been more IL
legal voting in California in any one
year since the passage of that act than
in any five years previous to its ap-
proval by the governor. Hawes died
insane. and his will, which practically
disinherited his wife and children, was
annulled by the courts and, therefore,
the election laws compiled by him
should have been repealed by the next
legislature, following his death.
A distinguished marine engineer ol
New York, who had fitted the machinery
of the first merchant steamers plying
between San Francisco and the Chinese
ports, was one day requested by the
president of his company to go and ex'
anime the model of new engine that
had been designed TO effect great saw.
/ ing OF fuel. He took good two hours
look at it and then informed the presi-
dent of the company that it was clever
theory. "It will save fuel beyond
doubt" said he, 'but it is mass OF
rods and valves that are liable to break
down in heavy sea and leave your ship
crippled in mid-ocean. Your present en-
gines are simple and not liable to get out
of order. You can use that new engine,
but it will waste in repairs all that it
will save in fuel" The engineers ad-
vice was taken and they stuck to the old
engines. That is about the way with
the Australian ballot law. 1t is a mass
Of rods and valves. W.