The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-12-18

in the presence of the others. The Ian
guage Of the exception, however, should
DO very carefully used, lest loss Of eye
sight and the use Of colorea speotacles
become alarming amongst gentlemen
who have heretofore been equipped with
cards BY reason OF their sudden Tilt
eracy and unfamiliarity with English
about election times.
1t may be argued that these changes
sayor of an educational qualification.
Not so, because the most aensely igno-
rant man can be very easily taught be
fore he goes to vote how and where TO
mark a cross Mt the head OF The column
Of the proposed ballot, which Is much
simpler than our present form. But,
granting that the denial Of assistance
does work a hardship on a very few ny
requiring them to study a ballot Tor a
few minutes, how much stronger is the
argument of the untold advantages to the
state of a system which absolutely pro-
tects an honest man and at once wholly
removes any possible chance for q vote
buyer to "oheek his goods on delivery,
no matter how corrupt the seller may be.
Prohibit assistance, abolish all parti-
san guides, and thus prove to the cor
rupter that his occupation is gone.
The threatened institution OF several
election contests demands an amend
ment to hat section Of the law permit
ting errors or omissions, in the pubiica-
ton OF the names or description q the
candidates, to be corrected upon
application of any elector. There Is a
doubt as to whether the failure OF a
candidate to object to q nominee by
reason of i~rregularity in his nomination.
before the ballots are printed, Will OF
will not bar objection to his nomination
after election. The supreme courts OF Col
orado and Missouri, in oonstru-
ing statutes like ours relating
to errors or omissions, in very
recent opinions, have held that
"where a candidate for public office
causes no timely objection to be made,
as required by the section quoted, he
must be regarded as having waived any
objection that may exist to the pres
ence, on the official ballot, OF
names not properly entitled to
be there. This doctrine seems
sound. The people must know
that the official ballot gwen to them
upon election day contains the names OF
J candidates to be legally submitted to
their choice, and the best way to pro-
tect them, it seems to me, is for the law
to clearly define proper methods by
which objections to nominations, candl-
dates, errors, irregularities and ornls-
: sions, may be taken advantage OF before
the ballots are issued. When the Of
fetal list of candidates is published, as
required before election, and an elector
. notices an error or defect in such list, he
should be required Immediately, and al.
Q ways within five days after the day o.
the first publication, to file an affidavit
T with the county clerk setting forth his
o objections, and unless the same shall be
T forthwith corrected, upon application
9 the Judge of the district court, or it he
be absent any district judge within the
state, shall, by order, require such cor
n rection to be made forthwith or SHOW
cause why the same should not b.
made; and unless such affidavit is flee
and the correction made by the count.
clerk, or by order of a judge, any OBJ
lection that may exist to the presence
y on the official ballot shall be deemed t.
.: be waived, and the ballot to be issued b.
the clerk shall be deemed to be a tru'
and correct list of the names and de
!: scriptions of all candidates nominated
for office. By such a provision, the can
d didates themselves, and the committee
ii of their parties, will be obliged to guar
e against mistakes, and all risks OF court
having to hold that a large lumber
10 voters nave been cheated through an i
III regular nomination will be averted.
I Some dissatisfaction has arisen on al
as count of the lack Of privacy of the vo
~ ing booths erected under our law. SCI
W ton % can easily be amended SO as
n define what the booth shall be. A vel
a' recent and excellent law requires eao
Is booth to be seven feet high, with thrf
ny sides enclosed, the other side to
10 closed with a curtain or swinging doc
ey and the voter is required 10 draw tt
~ curtain while preparing his ballot.
ne would do no harm to insert such pr
no visions in our statutes, and no addition
au cost, except for the curtain materi
y wothd be incurred.
'o- With the proposed ballot, as explain
,e' in last Sundays INDEPENDENT, (a
'he published today and the amendmer
D. suggested in this article, our ballot Il
IN would be more perfect. And our &C
u'- sideration may next be given to the i
.er ~portant question of how, when the pc
'ne are closed, to secure an honest count
10 the vote actually cast.
WILLIAM II. Hunt
be