The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-01-16
BLANK BALLOTS.

Tie Chronicle does not seem to compre-
bend thai voter may Gas. q blank ballot
from choice. Yet such an act is easily COM
Y-ehensible. 4 blank ballot is not the
meaningless thing that our contemporary
seems {. think. Il is protest against the
nominations made ly the two parties. Let
us suppose now that Buckley comes back in
The course Of the spring and puts up a legis-
laJiye ticket. Let rs suppose that Grim
Minis and Kelly, assisted by VI. q. de Young,
put up an opposing legislative ticket. Buck
Iev's legislative nominees would be pledged
t. vote for 4 Democratic Southern Pacific
Railroad Senator TO succeed Nj FELTON,.
Crimmins and KEYS legislative nominees
would be pledged to vote for a Republican
Southern Pacific Railroad Senator TO fill the
same vacancy. Having put up the two
legislative tickets the Southern Pacific
would 20 out Of politics. II generally goes
cut after the two conventions have nOmi-
mated candidates TO suit II. Under the con-
Gti0n Of things We have supposed a great
many blank ballots would be cast. The
fact that the proprietor Of the Chronicle is
a Senatorial aspirant would not reduce the
number Of such ballots Our somewhat
dull contemporary does not apparently see
any difference between voting a blank bal
l0t and not voting at all Yet there is
very substantial difference. Failure TO 20
10 the polls simply indicates a lack of in
tcrest IN public affairs: but going 10 the
polls and voting a blank ballot indicates
interest and also dissatisfaction. The vo-
fer who does not mark 4 name in mis- ballot
says 10 effect that he does not con-
slider one Of them fit for the position
10 which he aspireS. We can imagine the
avalanche Of blank ballots that would
be cast On this ground should " II. de
Young succeed in getting his name on the
CTimmin5 and Kelly slate. Under the new
ballot law, if the voters do not want TO vote
fnT either OF the Southern Pacific candi-
dates, they can nominate by petition. Il Is
this provision IN the new ballot law which,
We presume, inspires the hostility Of the
Chronicle. If the voters were limited to a
choice between two 2spirants for the Sena-
torship tie Republican asprant might get
a g0Odly number OF votes in spite of his
manifest unfiness for the position. But
with an independent candidate on the
official ballot-that is, with independent
candidates for the Legislature-the yots for
the Republican Southern Pacific candidate
might be smal-sO small. in fact. that the
fact Of candidacy could only be proved by
reference to the aspiTants bank account
The bosses have never favored the Aus
tralian system. They perceive that it puts
an end TO their power, though they control
the two conventions, to give The voters Two
sets Of representatives to choose between.
In New YORK the Republican bosses ap-
parentiy combined with the Democratic
bosses TO bring the new law into disrepute
AT ali events. it was by blunders for which
10 good excuse is given that Republican
precincts were robbed Of their majoritiss.
Probably similar tricks win be tried In this
State ID November. But the present fndt-
cations are that by the time the election
comes, the people viii be tolerably wide
awake.