The morning call., 1892-10-17
THE SUPREME COURT DECISION.

The decision OF the Supreme Court that
official ballots shall bear no party designa-
ton viii go far toward putting an end TO
the casting of straight votes, and will place
on every voter the responsibility of decid-
ing in the case Of every Office for whom he
shall vote. This will be gain for pure
politics. Some Of the worst men we have
ever had in office have erept in through
their occupancy Of place on ticket which
contained good names and appealed to
.rly affiliations. Few Of the evils of our
present system have done as much mischief
as the practice of voting the . straight party
Ii, kef." That practice involved the surren-
der # tie sovereignty of the individual to
the party managers, and enabled men like
Buckley to secure the election Of their tools
by getting them on tickets which embraced
a few excellent nominations. At the last
election there were about 1900 straight Re-
publican tickets voted, and about as many
straight Democratic tickets; these votes re-
presented citizens who were too inert or
too submissive to party discipline to concern
themselves about the fitness Of the candl-
dates they voted for.
The Judgment of the Supreme Court I'M
poses upon every voter the duty of under
standing for whom he votes; and though
this may cause delay both in casting and
counting the votes. the delay will be nothing
in comparison with the gain which the COM
mpnity will derive from this forced fulfill
ment Of duty by the citizen. Under that de-
cision, the voter cannot shuttle of his obli-
cations en- the bosses OF his party. He must
stamp his cross opposite the name of every
candidate he votes for, ana to do so he
must read that name, and, however calious
he may be to duty, he will hardly be able to
refrain from giving moments thought TO
the fitness of the individual who bears IT..
The new plan will not smash the machine.
but it will 90 far to neGtralize Its power for
mischief. As such it should be matter Of
general congrstnlation.
To the Nom Partisans the decision is a
boon. All that is required for their success
is that people viii study the ticket which
they are asked to vote. Crimmins and
Kelly have made up ticket of men who
were chosen not because they were fit. but
because they were serYiceable Republicans
Sullivan and Dwyer have made up & ticket
Of men who were chosen not because they
were fit, but because they were serviceable
Democrats. The Non-Partisans have made
I'd a ticket of men who were chosen solely
and entirely because they were fit, and
without regard to the question whether
they were Democrats or Republicans. The
danger which they have to fear arises from
the possibility that Republicans and Demo-
Gratis will vote their party ticket from habit.
and may overslaugh the good citizens who
are guided in voting solely by desire for
pure government That danger is minim-
lied by a rule which forbids voting straight
party tickets without stamping each name
separately. The voter cannot now throw
upon his party leaders the responsibility
for his vote. he is answerable for Ii him.
self, he, and he alone.
1t is creditable to the leaders oil the
Democracy that they should accept the de-
eision without grImace. Judge Sullivan
says ii is an excellent thing. Never did
man eat crow with better grace. Not SO
the tag-rag and bobtail gang which is mas
queradDg as the Republican party Its
organ observes that ''the present law, as
interpreted by the Supreme Court. VIII not
suit the people of California" Of course
According to the person who hopes to ride
into Office on the back of the machine the
people of California" are dead set against
any interference with the machine. me
people OF California" are bent on perDetu-
atiPg the machine with its stuffed primaries