Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-07
ENGLISH ELECTIONS.
Details Of the Methods by Which
Britain's Policy Is Directed.
THE BALLOT PRACTICALLY PURE.
Explanation Of Why the Mississippi Practi-
cally Runs Uphill.
WHAT PARISHES AND HUNDREDS ARE
CONDUCTED FOR THE prsrArcH.1

CONDUCTED FOR THE DIsPArcH1
The recent election in Great Britain
makes the election methods there of inter-
est to us, since almost everyone here has
been interested in the question of Irish
home rule. In the first place, there is no
fixed date for holding elections, as with US;
and in the second place, there are two kinds
OF elections to be marlborough and county
elections. Wrlts ordering elections to be
held are issued by the Speaker of the
House of Commons to the Returning Off
GERS in each county and borough command
ing them to hold elections within their dis
tricta If the writ 60 to borough, the
election must be held within nine days
after the writ has been received; if it 60 to
county, the election must be held
within II days. In both cases legal holt
days are not counted; and the last possible
day il always chosen for the actual day Of
election.
In q county the returning officer has three
days in which to give notice Of the election
to the registered electors; he may receive
nominations on the fifth day after receiving
the writ, or on any one day up to the tenth
day after receiving it, and on the third day
after receiving nominations, he may hold
the election. To the returning officer of
borough less time is allowed. and he must
finish the election within nine days after
receiving the writ. The candidate is nomi-
mated in writing by two registered electors,
and by eight other 'backers;" and if within
one hour of the time of opening the Office of
the returning officer more nominations have
not been made than there are seats to be
filled-for many districts send more than
one member-the officer declares the per-
sons nominated elected without opposition.
If more persons are nominated than there
are places to be filled, apolling day, equiva-
lent to our election day, is held, and on
that day the regular balloting takes place.
The balloting is by the Australian sys-
tem," and is like the method adopted in
most of the States, except that the actual
number of ballots Is less, one ballot being
provided for each voter in the district, and
only one. Then there is a special book OF
ballots to be used in case of a voter spelling
the ballot given to him, and he doesn't get
q second ballot until he has brought back
the ballot he has spoiled. II voter is
challenged and swears in his vote he re-
ceives coIored ballot, which he deposits in
counted it is put aside, and the objections
to it are considered afterwards
The polls are open from A. M. to P. M. =,
when they are closed, the ballot box is
sealed, the ballot books are sealed, every
spoiled ballot is sealed up, and every piece
of paper is accounted for; then the presiding
officer with his clerks goes with the box and
papers to the county town, where he swears
to his return-and then the votes are
counted The whole system, complicated
in description, is simple enough in practice;
everything is specified that candidate may
do, that an election officer may or must do,
and nothing can be done by either that is
not specifically allowed by the law. The
presiding officer is generally . solicitor,
or lawyer; and barristers of standing pass
on all questions arising during the polling.
The law fixes tine amounts which each can
didate may spend-about G400 at the out
side-and compels him to account specii-
cally for every penny spent; and forbids
bribery of any kind; and it is drawn so
closely that elections in Great Britain,
though the cause of enough excitement, are
practically pure. They were not always SO,
ent law shows; in fact, the town of Sand
wich is now disfranchised as punishment
for its corrupt elections; and Canterbury,
Oxford and Chester, the seats of three old
bishoprics. were treated similarly for simi.
lar reasons
What is the "prevfous question" that they
continually call for in the House of Repre-
sentatives? CUSHING.
1t is a means of stopping debate on bill
before the House. When a bill is reported
for its final reading, the Representative in
charge announces that at the end of q certain
time he will ask for the previous question;
and he does so at the appointed time, and
the question before the House is, "Shall the
preyious question be now put?" If this is
decided afirmatiyely the question recurs to
the main bill. all debate ends, and the oues-
tion is. ssShail such and such bill be now
passed?" With us the "preyious question:
Is used to bring the main question to a vote;
in the British Parliament it is used to pre-
vent a vote on the main question. and the
member who calls for it votes against it. If
it he decided afirmatiyely. the member who
called for it is beaten. In the Canadian
Parliament the previous question is used to
prevent the main question from being con-
sidered, as in Great Britain; and it is used,
as in CONGRESS. to bring the main question
to a vote The "preyious question" does
not seem to be used In Continental Legisla-
a,t - sr,rnrs,, daI;oota snb;ects relatino
- ...;L ~ .s.