Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1892-01-29
HISTORY OF VOTING.
A Secret Ballot Used by the An
Gent Greeks.
Usual Form tor the Election of Pope
Electlng Doge-The Hun
garian System of Thirty
Years Ago.

Where did the ballot come from?
Like Topsy and most other human in
situations, it 'growed." And in its
growth it has taken such varied forms
it will make an interesting study. Of
course, in the good old times, when all
civilized countries were governed by
kings, there was no use for ballot A
primitive, self-governing tribe, like
those of the ancient Germans, was sat
isfied with viva-voce voting The Jews,
before they had kings, might be called
self-governing people. Strictly, how
ever, their theory of government put
everything in the hands Ct God, and in
technical terms was theocracy. If
public officer must be chosen, he was
named by Gods representative, the
priest or prophet, or else lots were cast
and it was expected that God would
send the right lot to the right man. 1t
is not unlikely that such casting of lots
gave the first hint of secret ballot.
The ancient Greeks used the ballot
in euacting laws and in courts where
there were large number of judges.
The ballot there was originally peb-
BILE, whole for yes vote or pierced
with a hole for no. Sometimes there
was only one stone, which was dropped
into a yes or no box. Later the peb-
BILE was changed for a little bronze
wheel. few of these have been
found in modern times stamped on one
side with the words "official ballot"
and on the other with the number of
the judicial district.
In electing officers the Greeks voted
by show of hands, Often officers were
appointed by lot. White and black
beans were used for lots; and those
who were understood to be hungry for
office received the suggestive name of
bean-caters The idea here was that
every citizen was good enough to hold
Office, and this was the most impartial
way of dividing the spoils They
never used secret ballot tD vote for
candidates in the modern fashion, but
only to vote against them.
If party spirit was running high and
the power of a boss was growing dan
gerous vote of exile was ordered.
Each citizen wrote name on an oyster
shell or piece of broken crockery and
put this vote secretly into the box.
Any boss against whom there was
sufficient majority must leave the coun-
try for ten years.
This peculiar institution, called os-
tracism, is really the nearest approach
u. IL IL I. III -
system. 0stracism went out of use
because on acertain important occasion
the teunderbolt failed to hit either of
the prominent leaders, but struck COM
paratively obscure persons
The details are not quite clear. 1t
has been suggested, however, that the
great bosses made a deal by which
they were to let each other alone and
give all the votes to troublesome
third party man. The result was so
unsatisfactory to the people that os-
tracism was given up,
The ballot was introduced into Rome
in the second century B. C This was
the real Australian ballot The voter
received sort of wooden slate covered
with wax, on which the names of all
the candidates were scratched, lie
made holes in the wax opposite those
of his choice and dropped his tablet
in the box.
After the downfall of the Roman re-
public popular government took long
sleep, and there was little use for a
ballot till quite modern times. Still,
some of the most curiously elaborate
ballot systems known were developed
in the small governing bodies of the
middle ages.
One of these is the form for electing
pope, which has continued to our own
time All the cardinals are locked up
together in suite of rooms at the
vatican and forbidden to have any
communication with the outside world
till they have made a choice, Food is
passed in to them, but If the pope is
not elected within 4 few days they are
put on prison rations 10y way of quick
ening their work.
A ballot is taken every morning, fol.
lowed by another to give an oppor-
tunity for changing votes, Each car
dinal receives a printed flank, lie
first signs il, then folds it over so as TO
conceal the signature and seals it. On
the uncovered part of the paper he
writes the name of his candidat, II
there is not two-thirds majority the
ballots are burned and the smoke
tells the waiting crowd outside that
there is no election.
The same process Is repeated every