New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-23
BALLOT REFORM WORK.
BOTH HOUSES TAKE ACTION
THE SENATE PASSES MR.. sAXTON's, THE
ASSEMBLY MR.. SHEFFIELDS BILL

THE LATTER PROVIDES FOR SIMPLE BLANhBY
BALLOT, THE FORMER FOR A BLANKET
BALLOT WITH INDIVIDUAL FASTER
DEMOCRATIC OPPOSITION TO
BOTH MEASURES
rpou TIE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT TRrBrNH;.
Albany. March 22.-The Senate to-day passe0
two important bills introduced by Senator sax
ton. These were i, " ballot reform bill and his
bill putting the final day Of registration three
DAYS further away from Election Day. thus CIV
ing political comnittees a longer period in which
to purge the registration lists Of the names Of
persons not entitled to vote.
Senator Saxton's ballot bill provides for Q
blanket ballot with an individual paster only,
thus abolishng the paster ballot and also the
separate party ballot system. or course, the
Democrats cling to their beloved but rascaily
"paster ballot" and Senator Cantor, their leader,
vainly endeavored to save it. Upon the blanket
ballot thus provided the names of the candidates
OF each political party are to be printed In
parallel columns, with party emblem above
each column to guide the illiterate voters.
NETWORKS BACKwARDNEss IN BALLOT REFORM
In support Of his bill Senator Saxton declared
that two-thirds OF the States had adopted the
blanket ballot pure and simple. Indiana alone
permitted the use or a paster ballot, and such
ballots could contain the names only of unofficial
candidates No writing was permitted upon the
Indiana paster ballot as is done in New-York.
Senator Saxton said that at the time Of the
Pennsylvania State election recently he had re-
celved a letter from Galusha A. Grow, written
on election day. In which Mr.. Grow had praised
the blanket ballot system of that State. and
said that every one was delighted with it, PENN
sylvania had almost the blanket ballot which he
a.,fN Ne Xor
The Gravesend outrage. the false counting OF
votes In New-York. the murder Of Ross in Troy
while protecting the polls-all these things are
in the minds Of voters" said Mr.. Saxton They
demand honest elections. These occurrences have
have been like voice in the night calling upon
us to reform. Carlyle. think it was, declared
that Jesus Christ and Judas Iscariot had the
same weight at the ballot-box. 1t has seemed to
ne Of late that the descendants Of Iscariot have
had charge of the ballot-boxes.
PROTECTION FOR ILLITERATE VOTERS
Further believe that this bill protects ths
illiterate voter and gives him the chance, under
the individual paster provided, TO express his
choice for officers of the State
Senator Cantor denied that a blanket ballot
would prevent frauds like those Of Gravesend.
lie offered amendments retaining the blanket
paster and argued that the individual paster
would dlsfrlnchise thousands Of voters. Party
workers would purchase voters and then identity
ballots by the individual paster
Senator Saxton asked IL this could not be done
under the present law.
Senator Cantor said it could be. but It was not
done He then argued that the provisions regard
ing the iterate voter were unconstitutional
Senator Saxton replied that the illiterate voter
would be guided by a sample ballot in placing
his individual paster upon an official ballot. he
did not believe the Governor could veto the bill
upon any plea OF unconstitutionality.
SENATOR CANToR's SUBSTITUTE DEFEATED.
Senator Cantors cubsttute was defeated by
vote of II to II. Senator Bradley voting with the
Republicans against the amendment, and SEN
ators Owens and Reynolds Republicans. voting
with the Democrats. The bill was then passed
by a vote OF 90 to 8. Senator's Bradley and Mo-
Mahon Democrats. voting with the Republicans
AMENDING TIE REGISTRATION LAW.
The Senate then passed Senator Saxtons bill
providing that the final day Of registration In
the State shall be seventeen days instead Of ten
days before Election Day.
Senator O'Connor did not press his bill for an
equal division of the election inspectors to-day,
since in his opinion the amendment made TO the
bill by the Assembly last night might legislate
out OF office certain inspectors OF town elections
soon to be held. The Dill will be whipped into
THE SHEFFIELD ELL IN THE ASSEMBLY.
The Republican majority in the Assembly to.
| DAY. by seventy-one affirmative votes. sent to
the Senate a bill which provides simply for
blanket ballot. without pastors of any sort. The
| bin is known as the Sheffield bill, bearing the
name of the member Of the Assembly from New
| York City who represents the Nlth District. lt
does not appear in its original form. for 1t
has been materially amended since its introduce
! rio into tha he
| from the judiciary Committee first 1t provided
| for what is known as an Individual paster, upon
| which could be written the name OF some person
| for whom an illlterate voter desired TO cast ms
! ballot but which did not appear among inc
names of the candidates nominated by any
party. This provision was looked upon by the
! leading members of the Assembly on the Re-
! publican side as opening wide the door for fraud,
| inasmuch as through this provision 1t would %
pos sblc TO identify to certainty every pur-
! cha sed vote All that needed to do under
! this provision was II arrange with the purcnased
voter to vote for a certain man for a certain OF
fee 10 identify absolutely the vote as cast. Then
! too Il was determined by the Republican lead
ers In the Assembly that the people had In
trusted them with the duty of placing before the
| Governor blanket ballot pure and simple ana
! IL was thought that II would not be either
! polite just thing to disappoint tnem.
committee OF seven members OF the maJor,ty
therefore appointed to caucus OF the Re-
publican members TO draft amendments to MIR.
snstieids bill which should not in any form pro.
vide for a paster ballot. This was done, ana
! that bill passed the Assembly to-day.
MERITS OF THE BLANKET BALLOTS.
The bill. was special order for this morning
on second and third reading, and Immediately
after the committee reports had been made Mr..
| Sheffield took the floor and made "A strong argu-
ment for the bill He was listened TO with the
closest attention by all within the chamber The
speaker said among other things that one OF the
pledges given by the Republican party to the
people was that Of ballot reform The party
was now prepared to fulfil that pledge. This
pledge was nothing but the blanket ballot. The
| ,.JNernor had in his message placed himself on
record In favor Of a blanket ballot The one
proposed by the Republican party was such q
! ballot with Il scissors attachment.
! Mr.. Sheffield explained the manner OF voting.
and said the party column blanket ballot sys-
| ten" wnicn the one proposed by the Repub-