The herald., 1893-06-25
vorMe six HUNDRED YEARS AGO.
Safeguards Against Fraud Employed ut
CITY KEioctiuns fn Florence.

Safeguards Against Fraud Employed ut
City Ei6ctisns fn Florence.
Nowadays when almost ali Che ma
tions Of the world are discussing the
adoption Of the Atistralian ballot system
people little realize thai such ideas are
not as new as they seem Well nigh
six centuries ago in the city Of Florence
was organised system Of 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 account of it.
The city of Florence had begun to tire
of the arrogance and biibing methods of
the mobiles about the year 1928, SO 1t 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, it 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-
sens more than 30 years of age in Flor
ence that were at all worthy of the Office
of prior.
This list was then presentedt to coun-
Gil Of OF of the principal officers and
''wise men" of the city, who voted on
each name separately. The votes were
collected by six 'wise and discreet
monks. They consisted Of white and
black beans, and 1t took 90 black beans
to elect candidate. The counting was
done secretly in 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, eli those who were elect
ed had their names written together
on large scroll and also each name
written separately on little slip. These
little slips were thrown into bag. And
then comes quaint custom. The large
scroll was kept in the sacristy Of the
convent of the Frati Predicatori.
The bags, one for each Office in the
government, were put in strong chest
that was locked, and the three keys that
could open it were given, one to Frati
Conversi di Settimo, one to the capitano
or general Of the Florentine army and
one to the sacristan of the Frati Minori.
The chest itself was stored in the sacristy
Of the latter monks.
1t is seen how religiouely all bribery
and ballot box stuffing was stopped. No
Florentine, no matter how much he
hated the monks. would dare to commit
such crime In the sacristy Of church.
He did not feel anxious to be burning in
hell fire after he died. But to go on
with the election. for as yet no officer
had been elected, he had only been de-
clared eligible to the Office.
When election time came around, the
thirteenth day Of every other month, the
priors, with the general council of the
people, would assemble and cause the
chest to be brought forth. Then, in the
presence of the entire assembly the bags
containing the slips were taken out, and
otter being carefully mixed one slip was
taken out from each, and the person
whose name was on that slip was de-
clared elected. Thus an entirely new
set of officers was chosen every time.
This mode Of election. VILLAIN tells us,
twas ratified in full parliament in the
place of the priors where many people
were congregated and where many
speeches were made, praising the law
and condemning to severe punishment
those who might oppose it," And yet
we say socialism is essentially thing of
the present ury.-Pittsburg ChroRi-
cle-Telegraph.