New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-09-26
PRICE THREE CENTS,
THE NEW ELECTION CODE.
A SCHOOL FOR TRAINING VOTERS AND IN.
SPECTORS.

|
ROOM GIVES CLEAR IDEA OF ALL
THAT MUST BE DONE UNDER
THE PRESENT SYSTEM.
FROM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT THE TRIBUNE.
! Albany, Sept. 25.-A political correspondents
| in travelling about the State the present year
hears the statement frequently from members OF
Republican County Committees that the Republi-
can farmer voters have not yet become habituated
to the Australian ballot system, and that schools
Of instruction in the mYhod of voting under that
| system ought to be established in the towns on
the line of the railway"
| Speaking upon this subject few days ago,
| Nathaniel u Rosenan, an able young Kepupli-
can Of Buffalo, said: "Two years ago, when the
SaAton Ballot Reform law passed, the leaders
| of the Democratic party established ballot re-
| form schools in every city and in many OF the
| towns, and instructed the Democratic voters In
the alphabet of receiving paster ballot, accept
ing official ballots, visiting ballot booths, fold-
| ing ballots and voting the right ballot. Inc
leaders Of the Republican party also established
ballot reform schools in the cities, but neglected
to do so in rural neighborhOods. Now, as q
class, there is no body Of men so sensitive to
the ridicule Of their fellows the farmers, and
many of them refrained from coming to the polls
when they heard of the establishment Of the ncw
system of voting, fearing that they would mako
some bunder and be laughed at by their fel-
lows / think this feeling among the Republican
farmers has greatly essened the vote OF the Ke-
publican party in this State the past two years
What is the remedy? We must establish ballot
reform schools among the farmers. But L would
not rely upon the town committeeman to do
this work We in Erie County have found tho
best method is to have a travelling ballot reform
1orU. IN m.
tain several wooden ballot booths wooden rails
and all the other paraphernalia Of an election
room and then two or three bright men to SEQ
I'D the election machinery in a town and explain
its workings 10 voters"
There Is a special reason this year why the Re
publican farmers should be instructed in the methoo
of voting under the Ballot-Reform law, and that Is
that there will be unusually large number OF
ballots and therefore any person unacquainted
with the requirements of the law will be the most
likely to become confused and vote the wrong pal
lot if unaware of the method of voting. There
are TO be at least eleven ballots-perhaps more
nut into the hands of each voter at the approach
ing election; but at least eleven ballots can al
ready be counted. There will be the ballots OF
the Republican. the Democratic, the Prohibition,
the Socialist-Labor and tie Peoples parties, con-
tanning the names Of the Presidential electors and
there are 20 be six ballots of votes on three pro-
posed Constitutional amendments, three ballots
marked for' and three ballots marked against
One OF these proposed amendments authorizes the
sale of the States salt springs; second, ON IN
crease in the number of Supreme Court judges, ana
third, the transfer to the courts from the Leg.
islature of the decision of contested legislative
cases.
1t is thus evident that many confusing matters
will be forced upon the attention OF each Repub-
lican farmer when he enters the ballot booth to
select his ballots. His duty will be to select from
the eleven ballots presented TO him four for voting
and to fold up the remaining seven ballots for
the purpose Of returning them to the election
officers One Of the ballots he is to select will
contain the names of the Presidential electors OF
his PARTY and three other ballots will be in re-
lation to the proposed Constitutional amendments.
According to the Election Code, the ballots he
does not use as well as those he does use, must
lie "properly folded" when he leaves the ballot
booth to deposit his votes; and so return to the
election officers unused ballots. In order
properly to fold ballot voter
must first fold it crosswise, by bringing sthe
bottom of each ballot up to the perforated line.
and then in the middle. lengthwise, in such man
ner that when folded the face OF each ballot
shall be concealed. and the printed number On
each stub and the lndorsement on tne plcS
OF the ballot, shall be visible
II will be the duty of instructors in ballot
reform schools to give practical instruction to
the Repubican farmers as TO the method Of
voting under the Election Code. If the model
of the city ballot reform school is followed. the
room in which the ballot reform instruction Is
impaired will'be fitted up precisely as the polling
paces of the State will be fitted up on election
dayj with ballot booths. railing, official ballots,
ballot boxes and registration books. The voter
also will be shown practically the process OF
voting In other words. he will give his name
70 the man acting as inspector of election, will
receive his ballot from the ballot clerks, will
enter ballot booths will prepare his ballots under
instruction, will return from the ballot Dooth
into the polling-room, will profer the ballots
he has selected for voting 10 the persons acting
as election officers who are in charge Of the
ballot-boxes, and will surrender the ballots he
has not used The most effective ballot reform
school is the practical one A Republican farmer
will learn more in two minutes about the process
of voting under the new law. if he learns it
in such ballot reform school as has been de-
scrited. than he will in two hours study Of
pamphlet on the subject.
Mr.. Rosenan's idea is a good one. Let there
be travelling ballot-reform school In each
rural county before election day. Such travel
ling school could be sent to most OF the towns,
villages and crossroad neighborhoods of rural
communities. The various rural counties can be
mapped out for this purpose. BY giving notice
in advance of the holding Of the schools
Mt the various towns, the attendance of the farm
ers can be easily secured
Mr. Rosenan's plan Of travelling ballot re-
form school is considered a good one by Repub-
lcan leaders in Western New-York, and it ought
TO be adopted in the other rural parts Of the
State The schools if established, would dc
moro than instruct voters in the art Of voting