New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-03
FOR A BETTER BALLOT LAW.
HEARING ON SENATOR sAxTON's ELL
ARGUMENTS IN ITS SUPPORT Ply MEssRs. della
FIELD OPDYKE DEMING AND PtCkhAh'
my TELEGRAPH TO THE ikISUSs.'

ARGUMENTS IN ITS SUPPORT BY MFssRs' DELLA
FIELD opDYKE. DEMIN@ AND PtCkhAN'
,pY TELEGRAPH TO THE ikisUSh.'
Albany. March o-The cause of ballot reform got
big push today by several leading avdcaes OF II
onpearing before the Senate judiciary Committee and
making strong arguments in favor OF senator sa1oh
Blanket Ballot bill. The gentlemen who mus APP
peered were Wheeler II. Peckham. Horace h. Demihg'
W s Opdyke, and Lewis l.. Dclahcld, OF Ne"-hor"'
The members of the committee present to listen 10
te argument were Senators Roesch, Saxton O'ohhor'
Mc(,elland, Mcmahon, Parker and Boedgood l"eS
listened 10 the arguments with evidently Keen Ia
terest. - ,.
The Democratic members of the Legislature nave
been suddenly smitteu with desire to reform tle
ureent wretched ballot law, owing To their percepio
that the Republican party will control majority Vi
tie boards of superyisors-that IS OF the poA~s VI
elect.ons-at the Presidential election III 'hs ''"'0
this fall. an,
Mr. Delafeld, who opened the argument lor 'ne DH'
dwelt upon this point. lie said in part t.
What were the facts in the contested eieeuon IN
found had been mixed The Court Appeals that
1t was the intention Of the act that there souo Io o
fore Voted marked ballot. The result OF that dc,
cIsion deporabe in this respccnana say as ~ not
Elected. what is the logical result O. that decision
places in the Gnds OF OF any u. e0"b bao s power
to disfranchise voters. VINO s"ain visw " Of
that is not Last S s q is easy would be
for some partys ballots to have quad marx shcn
ballots ,. Be Boards S of T sSs RsHp s
that this ia they WIN be Re ns o he pr Sss
TST P ,ee Hs " SSec Does not e
ballot afford chance for partisan . PoaG1S
detects sHD''HaS0' ballots The remedy J I%aS
Gray pointed out in the onondaga case, is 'ne "oop-
Have YOU any belief that this Democratic majority
will accept a blanket balloti" inquired senator
ave come here" replied Mr.. DelaheM : Demo
Gratis and Republicans ,sk e"s Give MS better
ballot Reform law u,,os S.notor Me-
"Thst assumption Is correct" rcpheu Sohh''r -""
Mahon Democrat
Mr.. Delaneh then said
"Govcrnor Hill, in speech which he made in Brook
Ign before the last SECTION SAID dsr ne sIG Ss Ra PS
Reform could be improved . -, ,a
Senator Mn meTS5 hs Letter 81
css g"s ssje@Sn sS mr. 3 made To-
ballot reform system was that it might dlsfranehse
illterate voters. We provide party device which ci
ballots >, ,,o,,no.
I'VE shall reduce it to minimum" replied MT.
Deaheld by abolshng the paster ballot nos.c, The
chairman man Of Of the committee.
Horace f. Demng said in part:
The present Ballot Reform law is an aSSminable one,
OF the ballot reform law is the Massachusetts system
There is no party Column I'M ia ana the no ndS ccuHas as
compromise Look at the convenience Of voting Of The
tSs p sst for aHq se eeeOes IN Mas
only $4,000. The constitutional objection has been
wiped ont. In considering a BLANKET 6aii n,tS az
Keep sil 'h % mira and that prpcipe Of Justice
sSs b in sisa'' shosa n devised
II he ss Masachusetts form Of ballot does that
amend this bin however 50 as 70 give the advanto ,S
only to the two chief political parties we were toid,
under apparent authority, that our bill would Do
acceptable.
W. s. Opdyke gave the committee an idea OF the
system of voting proposed by the ballot. "This bill
not only prohibits the use Of a paster ballot said
Mr. Opdyke, "but it also prohibits the writing upon
an official ballot
ut seems to me that this provision would be
unconstitutional said Senator McCleland.
ave think mott replied Mr. Opdyke; g. the Less-
lature has right to prescribe how man shAi
vote"
at seems to me also that you cannot deprive
man of his opportunity to vote for the man Oh MS
choice" said senator saxton
1--WE have to prevent man from showing now
he has voted,' said Mr.. Opdyke, "and he VIII have
a chance to show how he has voted If ne has the
right 10 write his name.'
"weI l never could vote for your bill with tnae
provision said Senator McClelland.
aft does not seem 10 me- said Senator O'Connor
"that there is any constitutional objection TO TINS
Mr.. Opdyke, Is not this piO'isioh si'iL" " ""0
registration law!"
Il think it is' replied Mr.. Opdyke, although the
registration act may be sustained by the Consutuuoh
But that was not the case In MASSACHUSETTS,. We
fed Tint an election would not be invaldated WIN
such provision in 1t, and hope 1t can be etalhed
Wheeler IL. Peckham said -, ..,s
IL seems to that this measure VIII conIl naI
itself 10 many persons who have hitherto been oPposeu
10 q ballot reform law. II this Dill can he mace
heter why do So What is the point as 10 tne CON
stitutlonaity Of this provision that man siaI hot
write mans name on a ballot? Is II an outo1-the-
way regulation Is not fair thing that a man
should say election that he wishes 10 vote TOT
n certain man and have ballots printed for MN. ii
You cannot raise enough people % nominate ,l. u
candidate ten such should not De Vottd t'I.
obvinusIy such vote -oud be thrown away ana IL
would be intended throw 1t away. The provisions
we ask will insure a mans being known some time
before election day candidate TOT pubic once
present ballot law has proved aiin..t
yvorse than the law which II superseded. NOW WIN
Tho LIGHT thrown npon il by the Court OF Appeals WIN
the knowledge that the political parties pr1ht !hclf
master ballots Us before, that the expense OF ciecu0S
= inst As great rs before take great step IOrwa''i
Give us something better: we cannot have any worse
ballot law than we have at present
senator saxton will endeavor TO get an early de-
HE