Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-22
THE HARRlTY BALLOTS
Are Based on a Disputed Section of
the Baker Law but the
CHEF CLERK SAYS THEY'RE 0. K
The Objections Raised by Chairman Reeder
Answered IN Detail.
CONFUSION EXPECTED IN NOVEMBER

ffRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT
HARRISBURG, Pa, Aug. 21.-A large
portion of the force in the Secretary of the
Commonwealth office is at present engaged
in answering queries relative to the modified
Australian system and sending out sample
ballots to those requesting them. The form
Of these sample ballots has called forth a
protest from Chairman Reeder, of the Re-
publican State Committee. His objections
have not yet been officially considered,
owing to the continued absence of Secretary
Harrity from his Harrisburg Office.
The officials here, though, are very con-
fident that the form which has been adopted
by them is the correct one. Here Is the
section of the Baker law upon which Chair
man Reeder bases his point:
The names Of candidates shall be pre-
sented in the following manner and order;
In the case of certificates of nominations
made by convention of delegates or ether
wise, as described in sec tion 2, representing
a political party which at the election next
preceding. polled Mt least Sper cent OF the
highest entire vote east in the State, or
electoral district, or division thereof, for
which suoh nominations are made, as de-
scribed in section 2. the names of uil the can
didates SO nominated by such political party
shall be arranged in groups as presented in
the several certificates Denomination, under
the designation of the office, with the party,
descriptive words, or political appellation
at the head of the group: such groups shall
be printed IN the order OF the votes poiied
by ca ch political party at the last Dl eceding
election, beginning with the party which
secured the highest vote.
In all other cases of nomination by nomi-
nation papers the names of candidates for
each office shall be arranged under the
designation of the office, in alphabetical
Order according to their .urnames There
shall be lett at the end of the list of candi-
dates for each different office, or under the
title of the office itself for which an election
is to be held lin case there be no candidates
legally nominated theroiore), as many blank
spaces rs there are persons To be elected to
such offices, in which the voter may insert
the name of any person whose name is not
printed on the ballot, for whom he desires
to vote as candidate for sucn office, and such
insertion shall count rs vote without the
cross mark (4) hereinafter mentioned.
Eeeder's obj octions Criticised.
In the sample ballots arranged by Secre-
tary Harrity and sent broadcast throughout
the State all of the candidates are arranged
under the heading of the party which they
represent, Republicans in one column,
Democrats in another, etc. Reeder's idea
is that the law is that the ticket should be
arranged by grouping all the candidates for
each separate office together.
In discussing this subject, Secretary Har-
rity's chief clerk said:
eve are very sure we have made no mis-
take as to the intent of the law in prepar-
ing this form of ballot The wording of
the section quoted by Mr. Reeder is not
quite SO exact as it might be, but taken in
conjunction with other parts of the sta tute,
its meaning is plain. Fer instance, regard
the following section as placing the matter
beyond dispute:
Provided, That voter may designate
his choice of all the candidates of political
party or group bv one cross-mark In the
margin to the right of the party name or
political designation Of such group, and
such mark would be equivalent to marx
against every name in the group?'
"Now," he continued, 'it would be i'm
possible to carry out this feature of the act
with ticket such as Chairman Reeder sug-
PESTS, as the candidates would not be grouped
bv parties in separate columns The form
Of the sample ballot is the one used in every
State where the Australian system or
of it has been adopted. The
ticket proposed by Reeder would be about
three yards long this year, by the time the
Prohibition and Peoples party candidates,
with the necessary blank spaces. were all
duly placed"
Slow in Complying With the Law.
"Have you any information whether the
Peoples party will secure enough sigma
tures to entitle it to place on the ticket?"
was asked.
''Of course we know nothing about the
matter officially, but 1 understand the men,
oers of the new organization are laboring
to that end, and they are |
likely to succeed. No nomination paper
hat is one requiring signatures-has yet |
been filed by any party from any section.
The Peoples party, of Beaver county, have
lied certificates of nomination for their |
ocal ticket, as they polled sufficient per-
entage of the vote last year to entitle them
o that right"
"How rapidly are the regular nomina-
ions of the old parties being flled?'
"The work is not nearly so far advanced |