Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-26

imputation that the Australian ballot has
proved too much for the intelligence of its
voters, but that conclusion is the one 10 which
q calm survey OF the facts inevitably leads.
1t is not alone that the recount of the gnber-
material vote has shown more than 10000
ballots SO marked to be worthless under the
lsw-enough, had the obvious intent Of the
voters been carried out. TO have elected Halle
instead of Gov. Russell-but the errors in tne
vote for governor are only one phase OF a very
general evil. There is no doubt that the form
Of the ballot used in this state works practi-
cal observation-disclosures OF thousands Of citizens
at every election.
SOME IRREGULARITIES NOTICED.
The tendency Of the head of the ticket to run
thousands Of votes ahead Of the party candi-
dates farther down on the list has been noticed
ever since tho Australian ballot was adopted.
There has never been an election where the
lesser officers might not have been carried by
the minority if the errors bad been confined to
their opponents. Only the fact that the mis-
takes were about equally divided between the
two parties has prevented repeated defeats of
the popular will.
Last year on a vote of sol 900 for governor
there were $500 "blanks." that is. ballots not
marked at all or marked erroneousiy. There
were also nearly IL. 900 blanks for lieutenant
governor and over % 600 blanks for secretary
of state and state treasurer. In these "blanks"
the democrats seemed 70 have suffered most.
for last year Gov. Russell received u 600 more
votes than the democratic candidate for heu-
tenant governor and 2o.000 more than the
democratic candidate for secretary of state.
VANISHING LINE OF FIGURES.
This vanishing line" of figures meant death
to the tail of the democratic ticket. and as this
had been the story in several elections the DEM
ocratic members Of the last legislature tried to
get the form Of the ballot changed. They
wanted to do away with the alphabetical ar
rangement Of the several candidates for each
Office, and instead print the party nominations
in separate columns, with the privilege Of max
ing one cross to cover the whole column.
This the republicans declined 10 do. as up 10
that time they had suffered less than the demo-
Gratis from voters who were too law. indifferent
or ignorant to mark the whole ballot.
Their refusal to simplify the ballot so the
''unalienable rights" Of the blunderers. the
careless, the lazy. the stupid. the half blind old
men and the instantaneous-witted young men
might be protected has now cost them the gov
ernorship.
COSTLY ERRORS.
The costly error Of over 20. 900 mismarked
ballots for governor in this years total vote
of 401. 100 is followed by &c, 600 blanks for lieu
tenant governor, Sc. 067 blanks for secretary of
state and IL 600 blanks for state treasurer
Only in the case Of the goyernorship did the
dates to miss Of an election run suspiciously
different from the body Of the republican
ticket
But in any case the showing is one that does
not reflect credit upon the body Of Massaohu-
setts voters. The Australian ballot used in
this state has been tried seven times, counting
municipal elections, but the campaigns have
not proved campaigns of education" SO far
the correct use Of the voters pencil in the stalls
on election day is concerned. The boosted intelli
4tna~
not equal to the task Of distinguishing between
'Wolcott Hamlin," the prohibition candidate
for governor, and "Roger Wolcott," the re-
publican candidate for lieutenant governor,
where the former name. by virtue Of the new
regime, stood in the old-time place Of the can
didate for lieutenant GOVERNOR. e.. directly
beneath the republican candidate for governor.
HOWL OF INDIGNATION.
howl Of indignation is going up, not against
the recent ballot, but against the Massachusetts
form of it. The question is one of national i'm
por.ance. Suppose, for example, that the error
had occurred on presidential electors, and
20 900 or more votes were thrown out because
the intent of the voters miscarried. and that
thereby the minority party succeed in carrying
the pivotal state in presidential contest. and
with it the national election, what a state of
affairs would follow.
There is little doubt that the present Austria
han ballot law will be amended by the next
legislature. 1t is republican. and the party has
been 'hoist by its own petard' and doesn't Ike
it.
In the meantime, the discovery of the double
marked ballots multiplying the vote both for
Halle aud Hamlin on some 1900 ballots and
giving the election 10 Russell on a plurality OF
5000, has created one of the greatest political
sensations in the history of the state.
An EXCITING TIME.
For the first time in the two years they have
H. p@o<n
governor respectively Russell and Halle have
quarreled. There Was a stormy scene when the
rival candidates for governor met Wednesday
morning in the executive council chamber.
Gov. Russell was greatly excited and said he
thought it very unfair TO try and cast a sus-
picion on his election in order to gloss the
striking defeat which MIR. Halle had suffered.
Mr.. Halle replied with spirit and said tina, he
was willing to pay the entire expense of having
| . recount in order TO show that had it not been
for the votes mistakingly cast for Wolcott HAM
lin he would have been elected. He said he en-
tirely threw aside the question OF making u
contest for the place. to which he admitted Mr.
Russells election. but he wanted to set himself
right before the people of the state. The inter
view was exciting one, and may lead to the
two men running against each other again
another year at the polls, as each is sensitive
over the claim that but for the misunderstand-
ing Mr.. Halle would have been elected.
WHAT GOV. RUSSELL SAYS.
Gov. Russell said later: The republicans
are attempting here just what they attempted
in Vermont and Maine-to explain their defeat
by claiming ignorance Of their voters. with the
purpose Of attacking the Australian ballot sys-
tenn, under which they have steadily made
losses because Of the independence il guaran-
tees to every voter.
IA very carefully tabulated statement made
last year, going over all the returns, proved
that about Z 800 republicans last year voted
for the democratic candidate for governor.
The same number only voting the sam. way
this year on q much fuller vote accounts for
nv election. taking either the vote for Con-
gressmen or lieutenant governor as the normal
vote OF the two parties in this election.
~ think the democratic party has a right to
protest against the republican action in not ac-
ceptinc defeat but first demanding recount.
and after that, through an indictment of their
party for ignorance. proclaiming to the country
that they were beaten by o mistake"
WHAT LIEUT. GOV. HALLE coCLD NOT UNDERr
STAND.
Lieut. Gov. Haile in speaking Of the affair
afterward said that while he had not seemed to
be elected the face of the returns he never ,
could understand how Harrison could carry the
state by q, 900 and yet have q democratic gov |
ernor elected. 1.-The result of the recount" he 1
added, has shown a condition OF things which |
while it may not be gratifying 30 me still /
affords me the pleasure OF feeling that the ma 1
jority Of the voters Of the state intended that