Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-11-09
THE LAW ALL RIGHT.
PhiladelphianS Universally
Admire the Baker Bal
lot System, and 1t
BRINGS OUT A BIG VOTE.
The Fine Weather and Curiosity
Work to a Very Good End.
FULL EXPRESSION OF OPINION
And Fair One, Under the Secret Manner
of Casting Vote.
BRINGS OUT A BIG VOTE.
A FULL EXPRESSION OF OPINION
And Fair One, Under the Secret Manner
of Casting Vote.
ELECTION DAY IN THE QUAKER CITY

rsPEcIAL TELEGRAM TO rHE DIsPAroH.i
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. S.-The day wa!
fair and warm. When the polling booth'
were opened at o'clock, they were sur
rounded by voters who commenced to vote
as soon as the election officers were ready tc
commence work.
1t was the first election held under the
new ballot law, and as had been expected,
there was some delay early in the day in
explaining the system to those who had not
informed themselves beforehand. This
difficulty was soon overcome, and the bal
loting went on very rapidly, and the
citizens generally showed a creditable
knowledge of the new Law.
The duties of their positions had been
thoroughly explained to the election officers,
and as the voters presented themselves at
the booths, they were furnished with a
ballot, went to one of the stalls, marked
it as they wished and deposited it in the
box. The new system of voting wss strong
ly indorsed on all sides and starts great
favorite with the mass of voters. The feat
ure that met with the most approval was
its simplicity and the fact that while voting
the voter has perfect freedom from excited
partisans and anxious begging friends, and
1t permits him to vote in secret
Business Men Made Good Voters.
The business men showed a remarkable
familiarity with the new law, and in the
downtown wards there was no friction. In
the outlying wards and in those
portions of the city inhabited by
foreign element, the election officers ex-
perienced some considerable difficulty dur
he ri oF ha
explaining the new ballot, but by afternoon
everything was running smoothly. Sur
prise was frequently expressed that the
voting was so simple, and man who could
not understand how 10 prepare and cast his
vote was considered very dull
The voting commenced early and con-
tinued active from the start. People who
were accustomed to voting early were
greatly surprised to find how many had
been before them, and many a voter who
lad for years prided himself on casting the
first vote in his district found that many
were ahead of him to-day.
At noon the vote was nearly twice as
heavy than at the same time in prior years.
and by o'clock in many districts the vote
was all in. The fine weather was one cause,
but the chief one was great curiosity to try
the new vote. There was slower progress
in those districts where the voters are less
educated, but even there the vote was un-
usually heavy at an early hour In the after
noon.
Few Ballots Improperly Marked.
How many ballots were improperly
marked cannot be told ye., though the
chances are that there will be found but
few improperly executed, as great care was |
taken by the voter and an assistant was
given whoever desired, which was not often
in the better wards. The only complaints
that we're heard were trifing, and we're il
regard to the thinness of the paper on which
the ballot was printed, it being thought BY
some, ever ready to find fault, that the re-
suit might be read through the paper
As the polls closed there was general sat-
isiaction expressed with the Baker system,
and the universal opinion from all parties
is that 1t insures an honest election, and
the fact that every man can vote as he
pleases is now certainty. The vote was
early and very heavy one.