Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-05
The fact tina, b.llo, reform has prevailed in

The fact that bsllo. reform has prevailed in
most English-speakIng countries, having re-
Gently become the American well as the
Canadian, tho English and the Australian
system, makes interesting the leading points in
the history CT its progress These given
BY Mr.. Joseph b Bishop in the January
Forum, along with the present state Of the law
In the thirty three states OF the Union in which
the secret ballot has been adopted Fourteen
years after the Australians had Tu. the p:in-
ciple into action or u. 1872. II was established
By Law In England The period Of agitation
was four years A few years later IL became
the law in Canada and the agitation began in
the United States A crude bill embodying
some Of the reform principles was under con-
sideration in the Michigan legislature in 1855,
but systematic work for the system did not
begin until 1887. in the discussions Of the Com
monvealth Club Of New York city. The first
Law passed was, however, in Massachusetts in
less. owing to the opposition in New
York by Gov. Hill. The reform has
tpresd rapidly. and now after about four years
agitation thirty three states, three-fourths Of
the whole number. have some form OF the
secret ballot. Mr.. Bishop, who has given much
time aud care to the study of the subject finds
that rs Of these laws are good, are poor. are
lad and is fair. The number Of laws pro-
yiding blanket ballot il so, with the names
arranged in alphabetical orJer simply ~. with
the party group and name 5, with party group,
name ard emblem s, with separate party bal
lots 8. Not one Of these provides for genuine
Australian ballot. for in adapting the prin-
ciples to the wants Sr supposed wants of this
country IL has been necessary to depart from
the original model. Dir. Bishop considers the
laws in the United States under two groups
or Considerations, the types OF which are the re-
spective statutes of Massachusetts ami Indiana,
the FIRST beng those arranged on what is
termed TIE alphabetical blanket ballot, the
second providing party-group blanket
ballot There are various shades OF differ
ence. Thus some states have both names
and emblem fer parties, the latter being a
greater concession to illiteracy- Again, in
SONS states the ballots are official in others
only the envelopes are. Another difference is
in the marking; while III the Massachusetts,
ballot each name Is marked in Illinois, Maine
and some other states each name or group is
marked. and in Missouri ard West Virginia the
names not voted for are erased The better
plan would seem TO be to mark the names
voted for. As between the alphabetical and
voter favored lie Independent or the party
mode Of exercising suffrage. 1t would seem,
Nr. Bishop suggests after careful observa-
tior. tina, there Is no good objection to the
party-gToup method. that does not apply !
10 any wEich permits illiterate voting at
all There are Certainly many more straight |
rarity voters than independent voters, and the |
former are entitled 10 have voting made easy |
for them. unless an educational test is also |
adopted. A significant feature of the history |
Of the secret ballot Is the fact that it has not
met with much favor in the south, where it |
would apparently have given the intelligent |
kuffragans greater legal weight in the elections |
without friction or mourning the charge of |
fraud or force. But as Arkansas. Mississippi |
Teur essee AMI Texas OF the southern states
proper srI other communities in the old slave
holding region have enacted good reform laws,
the PrCL..UIlI:.es are hat the rest Will follow
Tie south Is conservative AID makes haste
slowly The prospect Is excellent for the early /
adoption Of The secret ballot in all the fortv-
fJJr states and for the improvement Of the |
laws in use III several of the states already em-
rlOying it.