Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1892-12-13
WHAT MISCHIEF rHG AUSTRALIAN
BALLOT LAW HAS DONE.

Editor DsHocrn.
I see by an article Ia the lewiston
Journal that Mr.. Cla.on. Who champion
III the Australian ballot Law In the last
Legislature, deem. II Wise Ia come Ia the
dsfenc. ~ that measure after u has been
tried In two election. In TIL. state,
About the only thing he can say In It,
favor l. that u has worked lees ml.chi.f
In this state than In Massachusetts,, and
he seem. 20 derive much satisfaction on
that account. I'LL. offspring was born
deaf. dumb and blind. aud yet %. take.
great credit Ia himself b-cau.c his bant.
ling l. not q complete mon.trosity.
NO on. viii attempt Ia deny that the
new system has co.t the state many
thousand dollars. The secretary OF
state has spent time and money without
stint, aud has spared no pain. Ia en-
tighten Ia. pcople how la vet. Tor the
officer. of their choice, and the only re
suit that Mr. Clason can boast of IL
that IL has been le.. disastrous In TIL.
state than la others where II has been tried
for years. Mr.. Clsson seems Ia admit
tina, In Massachusetts,, sherc the new
system la. been In operation for years,
the people have been robbed of their
choic. for governor In the name of re-
form. IN Ohio IL !. admitted " came
very near elccting Que elector from one
party, while all the other. were elected
from another.
IL l. aid that experience make. per-
feet, but what shall We ssy ~ u systsm
that works such disastrous results where
Il has been longest trieds IL u q no.
a 1T gs.fs a..
.tald away from the poll. aud rcfu ed
Ia try Ia yo,. rather than make the at
tempt. Many ~ho made the attempt
failed and went away Disguised. one
man, q successful bushes. man some
What advanced Ia life, went inside the
rail-, got confused Ia. marking his ballot,
aud finally put II Into the box without
any cheek upon IL. Another, sitter
studying u over until hi. time expired,
threw down hi. ballot aud left without
voting. Two voters, not knowing what
Ia do, wrote their names ou the bottom
of the ballot aud voted them without any
check whatever. Other. wee MARKED
Ia the wrong places and the parties we're
di.franchisei. for no reason except that
they could not understand the Intricate
working. Of the new Law.
And for all this mischief aud trouble
aud the enormous expenditure 81 the
peoples money, what have We galnedf
In some towns one class of ballots have
been thrown out as defective, while In
others the same class have been counted.
There !. no safeguard In the law against
fraud Ia counting and making returns,
where the greatest danger exists. II the
right of franchise IL n sacred right, ne
We have been taught tn believe, the sys-
ten of exercising II should be- so simple
that q wayfaring man though q fool
need not err therein, instead of making
Il a delusion and a snare 10 a man of
ordinary Intelligence. IL IL useless Ia
say they ought To know. while the fact
exists that they don't know, or do not
understand.
~ IL I. desirable To have q secret bal.
lot, let the voter get such q ballot as
suits him, and 20 Into q booth or secret
place, and put his ballot into an envelope
aud put Il Into the box. Such n systetn
tended with little expense and no con-
fusion, and no man would be disfran-
chised thereby.
For several years the Republican party
has made itself famous for swallowing
every nostrum that MAS labeled reform,
until it has nearly reformed itself out Of
existence. Civil service reform stsgger-
ell Il, aud ballot reform has thrown u
Into commissions, aud one more effort In
the same direction aud they will be left
like the dlsclples Of old, CARING up Into
heaven aud wondering what has become
Of their Lord.