The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-11-14
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER IA, 1894.
THE FIRST FRUITS.

Inc Senunel mas repeatedly dSSureu us
readers that as soon as the republicans
secured possession of the legislative power
they would destroy the reforms that have
been made by the democratic party. The
first one singled out for destruction is the
Australian ballot law. as appears from an
editorial in yesterdays Journal entitled,
1.-THE Difficulties Of Voting" 1t would
seem from this article that the Journal
has become deeply impressed with the
con.p,ication and obscurity Of the
Australian method. 1t finds that a great
number Of voters are afraid to go to the
polls at all from belief that they do not
understand how 10 vote. and that Of those
who did go it thinks that Gin this state
from eight to ten thousand ballots de-
posted in good faith were rejected and
lost" For these reasons 1t insists that
some simpler mode Of voting must be had.
AS a matter Of fact, the mode Of voting
under the ballot law Of Indiana is the sim
plest form that can be had under the
Australian ballot law. Its central prin-
ciple IS that you stamp in front Of the
name Of each candidate for whom you
vote. and as a favor to the great majority
OF voters. who vote straight" 1t enables
the voter who desires to vote for all the
candidates Of one party. and for none
else. to star p simply the emblem Of the
party.
So far al the manner OF voting Is con-
c5rnad there can be no further simplifica-
ton Of the election law without an aban-
donment of the Australian system alto
gether. and most certainly there can be
no excuse made for that. There is moth
ing about the law that cannot be under
stood by any voter. The only persons
who make material errors are those who
will not learn. This obstacle lies in the
way of every reform. It took the people
Of this state ten years to learn to use the
old-time pastors. But the number Of
those who make mistakes under the pres
ent law is rapidly diminishing from year
to year, and it is now of no practical i'm
portance. And further than this. any
change in the mode Of voting no matter
what it may be. viii enormously increase
the number of those who make errors. The
principal error now made is stamping in
front Of the name Of the first candidate on
the ticket by those who desire to vote
straight ticket, andt hose who are now
vided by the original ballot law of 1889.
The law of 1891 made the amendment pro-
viding for the large square at the head
OF the ticket. containing the emblem of
the party as the place to stamp for
straight ticket, and those who are now
making this error are people who learned
the original system and have never I'M
learned it. Any material change in the
manner Of stamping will have the same
result.
But the Journal makes further COM
plant Of a striking character 1t says:
Perhaps it may not be amiss to say
In this connection that the facilities and
cOnveniences for voting as provided yes
terday were in no way creditable 10 those
charged with the duty. Speaking for
this city, and no doubt the statement APP
plies 10 other cities throughout the state,
it can be said that the compliance with
the law was very niggard.y and the con-
Venlalces for voters very poor IL Is not
calculated 10 impress a citizen with the
dignity or Importance of the act of voting
10 have him squeeze himself into a mar
row. dark little compartment where, with
out light or elbow room, and with a dirty
curtain screening half his back, he Is
required with a rubber stamp, which half
the time does not may any mark, TO in
dictate his choice Of candidates A gov
eminent of the people and for the people
Should give the people better facilities for
voting. Some person or some firm makes
a pile OF money every year. out of the
contract for furnishing the mechanical ap-
piancpS and cOnVenienCeS for voting, and
yet they are scarcely better than a parcel
OF tribal Indians might expect in an an
nual census.
The voting booths in this city are the
same that have been used ever since the
law existed excepting. Of course. those
made necessary by new precincts. When
they were purchased the Journal fairly
wept over the great expense of providing
them. A. that time its bugaboo was the
ruin0us cost OF the Australian system.
Now it is too cheap. 4 cheap election
system makes a cheap man, we presume.
But it wiz be observed that it is chiefly
impressed with the inehiciency Of the
stamp and the insinuated job in the pur-
chase Of It. The stamps are supplied by
a non-partisln state board. They have
always been purchased at the most rea-
s0nab,e rates and have been very salts
factory, especially the one for the present
year. An outline stamp is better than
solid one because it avoids much Of the
danger OF b.otting. We suspect that the
Journal would like to be rid Of the stamp
a-tooe4her IT * castor IN make di=
tnguishing mark with pencil. If pen
ellis wers used and the obnoxious booths
were done away with. republican poll
ticians would be much happier.
THE DUTY OF CONGRESS.
II should not be forgotten by democrats
that the power TO shape the policy Of the
country is still in their hands. The new
representatives to congress do not go
into office until next March and until