St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1893-02-23
LETTER FROM CONCORD.

TCmDeTaHce MeaSure.-H ToIHc' ~
Johnsbury Man Named as Snperfntend-
enfof Public institution Vaine ofLive
stock in this State.
CONCORD, N. H., Feb. p, '93.
EDITOR CALEDoNIAN:-Th The past
week has been a lively N at the
state house. The members OF the
legislature are waking up to a realiz'
ine sense of their obligation to the
people who are paying their salaries
and expecting a good report OF their
stewardship as guardians OF thiscom-
monwealth.
Too much time has been spent in
partisan schemes, and the better
classes Of both parties are tlring OF
it. Much time and expense has been
wasted in settling contested election
cases. and the outcome thus tar has
elected the most bitter and severe
criticisms from the democratic ele-
ment of the two branches of the leg
i%slature. They claim that the decls-
ions have all been most glaringly par
partisan and unjust. They are also
fighting with all theircnergies against
the granting OF city charters to the
larger towns in the state, claiming
that the main object is to so draw
the ward lines in these newly made
cities so as to ensure an increased
number of republican representa-
tives. They are also most stubbornly
opposing the bill to establish police
commissioners in the cities Of the
state. The bill, if passed, empowers
the governor to appoint these COM
missioners, and as the present gov
ernor is a republican, it stands to
reason that he will appoint republi-
cans to fill these positions, and as
they will in a great measure manipu-
late all the political machinery in
their respective cities, they will most
naturally so arrange and conduct
matters as to perpetuate themselves
and their party in power.
The "tinkering" of the Australian
ballot law is just now absorbing
much attention, there being four bills
before the legislature bearing upon
this subject, one of which is for the
repeal Of the law. A hearing before
the committee on revision of laws
was held at representatives hall on
Friday evening last to consider these
bills. One proposition was that all
the candidates for each partybe placed
in one column so that one mark
would answer for all, and that in
case a voter wished to cut his ticket
he could erase the name and write in
another. In this manner the present
manner of employing tally sheets
could be disposed of and the time of
counting the votes after election
greatly shortened. Another was
that a separate ballot be furnished
by each party, designated by placing
the name of the party at head of bal
lot in large, plain letters, each ticket
or ballot to contain all the names of
candidates with blank line under
each, so hat Objectionable names
might be erased and new ones writ
ten below. Each voter is to be
supplied with one ballot each of all
the parties represented, as he passes
through the rail, and when he has
entered the booth he can select his
ballot, make such alterations as he
desires, then fold the ballot, and as
he energies from the booth he hands
the vote he wishes to cast to the
proper official, who deposits it in
the ballot box, The ballots which
he rejects are to be handed to anoth-
er official who deposits them in the
box for rejected ballots. In this
the secrecy of the present
law is maintained.
The temperance measure now be-
fore the legislature is a most IL c
cinct one, and strikes at once to the
quick. Its intent is to prohibit the
manufacture of malt and spirituous
liquor, and make the work a crime
punishable by a fine of $1,000 and
imprisonment for one year. Will it
pass? Perhaps; but not if the
millionaire brewers Of Portsmouth
and Manchester can prevent it.
At a meeting of the governor and
council recently held in this city,
Hon. J. W. Patterson, supt. of pub.
lie instruction, presented his resigna.
ton, which was accepted. The
recommendation of Prof. l.. S
Hastings of Nashua, formerly of St
Johnsbury, by Mr.. Patterson, as hi.
successor, was favorably received b,
the governor and council. Prof