The record-union., 1892-01-08
THE POLITICAL ChLDR0N.
Premonitory Buildings of the Com
ing Election in Spring.
What May Be Expected of the Second
Test of the New Election Law
The Candidates.

There ought to be lots of fun in Sacra-
inento during the present year. and I
have no doubt there will be. The bands
are beginning to tune up already Tor the
first concert, which takes place this
spring.
Aside from having an interest in the
outlook for the various candidates for
Chief of Police, Second Trustee and the
other offices TO be filed, the people Of
Sacramento viii no doubt center much of
their attention on the operation Of the
new ballot law. 1t will be the second
trial of
THE REFORM BALLOT SYSTEM,
And we should learn much about it. Last
month we gave it preliminary trial. In
common with all the people / watched
the operation with great interest. And
think l reflect the general verdict when
say that the system worked here great
great deal better than even its best friends
including the RECORD UNION, which
fought SO calamity for the new law ever
expected it to do at first.
But l saw, as did others, ] suppose, that
the machinery, being new, was stiff, and
that 1t was not operated with the ease
and rapidity that win follow greater ex-
perience with it. In the spring election
look for a severe test. We will then have
E. number of officers to elect and there
win probably be three contending parties
in the field. With these facts IN plain
view, / ask myself what is necessary for
our people TO guard against and TO pro-
vide for. After studying the question
carefully and
LOOKING AT THE DEFECTS
Of operation Of the law in December, I
find that on these points the machinery
needs oiling by intelligence. First
Lines Of voters must be protected as they
form, and the order of formation kept in
tact by officers. If there are not enough
to do that duty and prevent tricksters
putting dummies into the line, as was
Gone in December to keep real voters
back, then the political parties should
put honest representatives at the polls to
detect the fraud and point it out to the
election boards. Second - The ballot
clerks should have their table farther
from the entrance TO the railing, so that
people outside cannot delay them by
talking, suggesting and confusing, as was
Gone in December. Third-Signs should
he plainly posted or hung across the
Dolling-place in large letters, Use
the rubber stamp only in mark
ing" and election judges might
well serve the people by instruct
ing voters by frequently repeating that
injunction. Fourth-The ''lG0-foot law"
done in December, and in late years has
not been. 1t is now, | think, more valu-
able than ever. Let it be understood that
If men electioneer within the limit they
will surely be arrested and punished and
there will be no crowding and lowering
around the voting rail Fifth think
the most needed of all things is to have
men as ballot clerks who have
KEEN, QUICK EYES
And can rapidly find register numbers
and fill the ballot stubs. In one precinct
especially in Deem Der voting was slow
only because the ballot clerk was an
elderly gentleman in glasses whose eye
sight was poor and who in the dim light
was veXatiously slow Clerical ability
and familiarity with writing figures and
catalogue columns is needed. In the case
] refer to the old gentleman passed one
TOter in the time a quick, experienced
clerk would pass six. PleRy OF young
men Of good eyesight and with clerical
capacity can be had to earn the fee al
lowed. Sixth-A careful calculation
made at three precincts proved tonne and
others that with good ballot clerks four
ballots can be called out and delivered
every five minutes at the lowest, or 90
every hour, or 600 in ten hours, while the
law limits the voters to a precinct to
less than half that number. But
; noticed, as have all others, that the Jam
of voters comes between 4 O'Clock and
the closing hour, when at least one ballot
minute ought to be called out and de-
livered. l saw it done at one precinct
rolls easily. But if voters will wait un-
til late in the day and then get crowded
cut by time there is no help for it. 1t
ought to be published that the law gives
every employee time, I think it is two
hours, to go and vote, for which it is I'M
lawful for the employer to dock his
wages. Seventh and last noticed that
the voting booths were TOO close together
and I saw men reach over from one to the
ether and get the ballots of men who had
probably sold their votes. When marked
and returned the boss was certain that
the goods were delivered"
With care on the points here suggested
the ballot law will work rapidly and
easily. Anyhow, in the spring election
the people will be great deal better in
formed about the details Of the new sys-
tenn, and when the fall election comes
every one will be posted in it.
SOMETHING ELSE OF INTEREST.
But the further testing of the new secret
ballot law is not destined to consume all
CT the interest in the spring election.
reckon that not a few people in Sacra-
nento will incidentally post themselves
ss to the personnel of the various lists of
candidates to be voted for at that time.
OF course the principal flights" as the
politicians put 1t, are to be for the offices
Of Chief of Police and Second Trustee, or
Street Commissioner, although we will
also be called upon to ballot for a new Fire
Commissioner and City Attorney.
There is quite a little batch of candi-
oates in the field for the two first named
offices.
For Chief of Police the contest for the
Republican nomination seems to have
settled down to a struggle between War
len +. Drew, the present incumbent and
oil or
the force. There are other Republican
aspirants for the nomination in the field
Of course, who may be laying low and
may at the eleventh hour snatch the bone
from the two bigger candidates. Beside
Drew and Higgins, John Rodgers is
Officer b. T. White. The last named gem
tleman, however, while he would
MAKE y GOOD CHIEF.
is not pushing MS claims very hard.
dodgers may be too honest to get very
far forward. l understand he expects to
draw largely upon the railroad shops for
lis support But here he will meet the
forces of Higgins. The latter was for
years an employe there and feels safe in
expecting that he left many friends there.
Higgins is quite an intelligent Young man
q good officer, and has the happy faculty
Of making friends wherever he goes. He
will get most of his support from the up
town faction. Bart (aNanaugn. the young
politician. is working tooth and nail for
him, and was offering to wager his money
8 few nights ago that his protege would
run like a house afire." But all this
Goes not scare the friends of Chief Drew
very much. They look knowingly and
say, "Oh, that's all right-but just wait"
Drew will be supported as before by the
downtown" Rhoads people, and as the
latter are old stagers, and understand
their business, the Chief may rest assured
that he will be sin it," as the saving