Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1893-10-21
VOTING SIX HUNDRED YEARS AGO.
Safeguards Against Fraud Employed at
city Elections In Fiurence.


City Elections In Florence.
Nowadays when almost all the ma
tions Of the world are discussing the
adoption OF the Australian ballot system
people little realize that such ideas are
not rs new as they seem, Well nigh
six centuries ago in the city of Florence
was organized system uf voting resem-
bling in its essential principles the ballot
recently adopted. This is not mere hear
say either, for historian. who lived at
that time, Giovanni VILLAIN, has given US
= full ecount OF it,
The city of Florence had begun to tire
Of the arrogance and bribing methods of
the mobiles about the year 1928, so IL de-
cided to pass laws by which fair cleo
tions might be held. The city was gov
erned by six priors. elected for term
Of two months. Now, ii was decided by
an assembly that these priors, together
with two persons selected from each Of
the six districts Of Florence. should come
together and make list Of all the citi
zens more than 80 years OF age In Flor
ence that were at all worthy Of the office
of prior.
This list was then presented to coun-
ell of 97 Of tho principal officers and
wise men" of the city. who voted on
each name separately. The votes We're
collected by six wise and discreet
monks. They consisted Of ,shite and
black beans. and 1t took 81 tsack beans
10 elect candidate. The counting was
done secretly in a neighboring room by
the monks, and the result was immedi-
ately announced to the assembly. who
proceeded to vote on the next name.
When the whole list had thus been
gone through. all those who were elect
I'd had their names written together
On n large scroll and also each name
written separately on a little slip. These
little slips were thrown into bag. And
,hen comes quaint custom. The larg,
scroll WAS kept in the sacristy of tht
convent Of the Frati Predicatori.
The bags, one for each Office in the
government. were put IN strong ches'
hat was locked, and the three keys thai
ould open il were given. one to Frat
CONVERSE di Settlmo, one to the capitant
n general Of the Florentins army anc
no to tho sacristan Of the Frati Minori
The chest itself was stored in the sacrist,
4 the latter monks.
II is seen how religiously all briber.
aud ballot box stuffing was stopped. NJ
Florentine, no matter how much h
hatad the monks. would dare to commi
such crime in the sacristy OF church
lie did not feel anxious TO be burning II
q hell fire after he died. But to go ol
with the election. for as yet no Office
lad been elected, he had only been de
clared eligible to the Office.
When election time came around, tn
thirteenth day of every other month, tn
priora. with the general council Of th
people, would assemble and cause TIA
chest To lie brought forth. Then, in tn
presence of the entire assembly the bag
containing the slips were taken out, an
ieter being carefully mixed one slip wa
taken out from each, and the perso
whose name was on that slip was d'
Jared elected. Thus All entirely me-
,et Of officers was chosen every time.
This mode Of election. VILLAIN tells II
was ratified in full parliament in I'll
/, place Of the priors where many peop
ere congregated and where mar
peeehes were made, praising the Ia
md eondemning to severe punishinel
hose who might oppose it," And y
we say socialism is essentially thing
he present century.-Pittsburg Chron
cle-Telegraph.