The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-10-04
THAT SECRET BALLOT.

Mr.. EDITOR Some of the SEriUeled
giants (O who are just recovering from
the shock they received when they
dropped through the meshes of the pC.
htical selve, are making mucn ado
about the Australian ballot system. s"
To quote one: Why, every feller
who can't read, will be deprived of
votin'" And this is to deceive the un-
wary.
Read the first resolution appended to
the Peoples party national platform :
Re8OIUed, That we demand a free
ballot and a fair count in all elections,
and pledge ourselves to secure it to
every legal voter without Federal in
tervention through the adoption by the
States of the unperverted Australian
or secret ballot system"
Couched in the above we find % a
free ballot, % a fair count (3) every
legal voter his rights; az no Federal
meddling; o. each State to adopt a
secret ballot system, in order to avoid
espionage and intimidation, two lurk
ing demons sometimes found at the
polls.
Remember eUery legal voter will be
secured in his rights; that illiteracy is
no legal barrier, and the secret ballot
EFSI0Iu Will U0 81 dII CIlSOu DIS w luCOU
the wants of all. In response to the
national platform, hear the North
Carolina platform of the Peoples
party:
'' We demand of our General Assem-
bly, at it's next session the passage of a
secret ballot law, with provision in
said law that will secure to voters who
cannot read an opportunity to vote"
This is unequivocal language. Ample
provision will be made for voters who
cannot read, and thus none will be de-
prived of vote from want of educa-
tiOnal qualification s. The secret ballot
law. whatever may be its details of ar
rangement, Australian or otherwise,
will have a good effect. Bulldozers,
loafers, loungers, electioneers and
others of their like will be admonished
to stand aloof from the judges seats,
where they can spy on a mans vot
ing. The Peoples party intends TO
have a pure ballot, but it will stipu-
late with any citizen that he shall en-
Joy every right as voter guaranteed
to him by the Federal laws of the land.
The qualifications of voters are defined
by the Constitution of North Carolina,
Art. 6, Sec. /, as follows: every
male person, born in the United States,
and every male person who has been
naturalized, twenty-one years old or
upward, who shall have resided in the
State twelve months next preceding
the election, and ninety days in the
county in which he offers to vote, shall
be deemed an elector. But no person
who, upon conviction or confession in
open court, shall be adjudged guilty
of felony, or of any other crime in
famous by the laws of this State, and
hereafter committed, shall be deemed
an elector, unless such person shall be
restored to the rights of citizenship in
a mode prescribed by law"
These are critical times Let no
demagogue bewitch you, lest he be-
smear you with the offal of hypocrisy.
Oh Lord, let the hand of the despoiler
rest no longer upon the oppressed of
the land In this righteous cause let
every patriot summon courage, and by
the help of omnipotent God, we shall
conquer in this campaign for justice.
OLD NORTH STATE.
Is it worth reading9 Whats THE
Progressive FARMER, Then read 1t.