New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-12-28

There are certain measures which publlc
opinion requires the Legislature to pass at Inc
coming session without delay or h"SitaiioI
They can have no purpose and effect except tn"
promotion Of good government. and they can
br opposed only Ivy those whose rnmiy Is Il
recommendation. For nj least TWO Of ih'n Il
brief discussion will suffice BIS Ia rcSior" ia"
non-parisan character OF the Polite" Board of
This city and to divide election inspectors equal
~ between the two parties throughout The state
ought 10 h. sent - the Governor within fort
NIGHT after thr organization has been cory
plctcd. Elaborate arguments 10 prove ih"ir I'M
poriancc are unnecessary. Iamnany seized
control ~ he Police Board in 1889 for ihc *
press purpose of carrying elections by frali.
and has used II T." that end ever sine" Win
increasing audacliy and succcS> That was IN"
first step in carefully planned c"ur>" 81 WI
lany The next WAS taken in l>.-. when. haV
iug stolen The LEGISLATURE. the Democratic lead
crs ordered II to pass The Farquhar hill r'-
ducing The inspectors of elections IN every us
trirt of this city from f"ur Ia three and Civ
ing Tamnany two If thon. These two acis
perfectly supplemented cach other. \ partisan
Police Board - appoint partisan boarls 81 in
spcctnrs aud implicit obedience tn The orders
Of The bosses. scriurd go be- ali ila' was ncc''s-
siry 10 confirm and p"rpotuai" Il corrupt drS.
poGSm II Is the privilege and duty Of The
Legislature 80 wipc ont II existence these dc.
vices for swindling VOTERS. and 80 waste -
time ahont It.
There i another essential condition Of honest
elections ard therefore ~ good government.
which the Legislature must provide ana hat l.
IN efficient ballot law tn, existing staiu," *
IN instrument which scoundrol~ can Use. ~
they have amply proved +" facili;ai" ih" very
frauds which honest men hoped II would pr"
vent. In this city, ~ least. IL may well lee
doubted whether II is not. on the whole. NOR"
Of Il help Than hindrancc to cNil,lu"r~. Hui
an entirely satisfactory ballot reform law j.
not Il measure which can b. devised in haste.
and. though past labor and discussion will now
prove fruitful. more time mav lee required for
the perfection II an adcquai" mcJSlir" 10 r.
place the present statute than nc0lS 10 be- de
voted - some other tasks which the I.ogsla'-
ire must pat through. In This work th" zeal.
experience and sincerity 81 Senator SaXtnn
will be Of great value ~ 10 one p,Int ~
least There can be- 10 reasonable doubt That
potent resource Of election thieves. the pasirr.
must be- abolished aud II blanket ballot pro-
vidcd Honest men may differ in their opin-
ions ~ 10 suci details as M" arrangement ~
candidates names aud the designation Of par
ties. hut the principl" which ought 10 govern
their choice is unmiStakaulc No ballot law
is worth having which does not enable every
qualified voter 10 vote one" at every election
for the candidates whom Ne prefers. secretly
and without Interference. and 10 have his vote
counted rs he east il. and which docs not 20
10 the last limit of possibility in blocking the
game Of those who do not want VOTERS 10 vote
in that way
The Republican ma jority in the Legislature
have been commissioned by the people who
sent them 10 Albany 10 agree aS soon rs pos
sible upon Il measure 10 accomplish that oh
jrct and to hand il 10 The Governor without
asking what hc thinks about il.