The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-07-01
AN ABSURD DOUBT.

Our San Francisco contemporary the
Chronicle has found another mares nest
in the California ballot law. This dis
covery was the result of dispatch from
an Illinois town wherein it is recited that
the people went to the polls and wrote in
the names of candidates upon the reform
ballots, ignoring all those nominated by
convention or petition, and defeating the
two latter classes. Out of this state of facts,
it is added, the question has arisen there
whether the men whose names were so
written in are elected.
Upon this basis the Chronicle, which
does not relax its luminosity to the reform
ballot law, builds a speculation that
plainly is intended to cast doubt upon
the integrity Of the California law. 1t
says:
1t is true that the new election law of Cali
fornia does not il terms restrict the voter to
casting his vote for regular nominees under
the provisions of the law, but it is clearly the
intent of the law that such shall be the case
We do not undertake TO say that the Supreme
Court will hold that a ballot cannot be
scratched for a candidate who has not been
regularly nominated, but we call attention to
the possibility OF such a decision. The cues
ton has arisen in Illinois, and there is an
equal chance for it to arise in this State Ifit
ever does ii will operate to work the repeal OF
the SO-called Australian ballot law for Cali
fornia voters will not consent to be tied hand
ana Ioot by nomination, no matter whence
1t comes.
This is setting up boyle man to fright
fitful souls. The purpose would seem to
be to create all possible doubts and fears,
in order to work a repeal Of the law
Now, whoever reads the ballot law, and
is capable of understanding ordinary
English, must know precisely what these
words mean:
"There shall be left at the end of the
list of candidates for each Office as many
blank spaces as there are persons to be
elected to such Office, in which the voter
may insert the name Of any person not
printed upon the ballot for whom he
desires to vote as candidate for such
Office. Any name lDqlttega upon
ballot shall be counted for the Office
under which it is written, whether or not
a cross is marked after it."
It is not true that it is clearly the in
tent Of the law' that the voter shall be
restricted to casting his vote for regular
nominees" Any one familiar with the
history of the ballot law, the proceedings
in the Legislature and the language of
the Act, will find it impossible to reach
any such conclusion as that at which the
ChSonicLe strains.
In no State in the Union has any effort
been made,or even thought of, under any
election system that has obtained or now
prevails, TO restrict the voter to nominees
of party or TO printed lists of candi-
dates.
This whole scare in an Illinois country
town arises out of the discontinue of a
defeated group who were floored by the
pen of the courageous voters of the pre-
the beaten have entered upon, and when
it reaches court of law it will be thrown
out with rush as an indignity to COM
mon sense.
We are rather pleased, however, that
the enemies of the secret and free ballot
and fair count have been driven to this
absurd resort; it testifies to the virtue
and vigor of the law and proves that its
trenchant blade is cutting to the very
quick of venality, corruption, low-down
politics and the tricks of the boss ele-
ment.