New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-11
PRICE THREE CENTS.
DEFECTS IN THE BALLOT LAW
CHANGES NEEDED TO MAKE VOTING
MORE EASY


JUDGE CULLEN's DECISION REMEDIAL LEO
IsLATIoN NEEDED SECRETARY PAL
MER ON THE BLANKET BALLOT.
.rRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRrBrNE.l
Albany, Nov lO-It Is apparent from the talk
of politicians. Of inspectors Of election and OF
members-eect of the Legislature that defects
have been discovered In the Blanket Ballot law
which will render 1t necessary TO amend that en-
actment and that the Legislature upon meeting
in January will modify the law in several i'm
portant respects s pretty certain.
NOMINATIONS BY COUNTY ORGANIZATIONS.
One feature OF the BalIo, law which evidently
is yet puzzle the courts IL that which pro-
vides for the printing OF the State tickets Of the
political parties upon the blanket ballot Can
political organization existing in only ons county
act az though 1t were State convention and
nominate a State ticket? The General Term of
the Supreme Court in the Ist Judicial District in
the case Of the state Democracy organization
decided that It could not put the Democratic
State ticket at the head of its local nominations
I'm New-York But then came Judge Cullen. OF
the Supreme Court, in the I'D Judicial District
and gave orders. that the Democratic state ticket
should be put below the "battle-axe" Of Patrick
j. Gleason I'm Queens County, and thus Gleason
was authorized as ii were. 70 be State conven-
tion in himself and nominate State ticket
And the Democratic State ticket accordingly
put in column on the blanket ballot ahead Of
Gleasons local nominations in Queens County
county political organization thus. 1t is clear.
made a state nomination. II Judge Cullen's doc
trne is correct. county organizations all over
the State will be making State nominations
The decision Of Judge Cullen has worked great
harm to the Republican party. 1t put the Demo-
tat Of on he blankpf ballot
as Queens County was concerned, four times
once under the star" Of he regular" Demo-
cratic party: once under the ship Of the Demo-
cratic Party Reform Organization: once under
"the rising SUM- OF the Independent Citizens
Organization. ard once under the battle-axe"
Of the Gleasonltes. And the Republican State
ticket was only once upon the blanket ballot
HARM DONE TO REPUBLICANS.
The special harm. which The Republican party
received in Queens County through Judge Gull
lens decision that many voters who desired
to vote for Gleason for Mayor Of Long Island
City, also voted for the Democratic State ticket
and other Democratic State candidates. finding
them in the same column of the ballot. Senator
Childs Republican. undoubtedly put in the
minority in the Senate district by this unfair ad-
vantage given to his Democratic rival, Theodore
Koehler. Another Republican candidate who
suffered was Hugo Hirsh, Of Brooklyn. one Of the
Republican candidates for the Supreme Court.
Martin j. Keogh Democrat, asserts that he has
been elected a Supreme Court Justice Mr..
Hirsh, and that he has plurality Of 9Ol votes
I'm the district Ke0gh's plurality In Queens
County was 946 votes. Mr. Hirsh's friends believe
that every of these 946 votes due to
Judge Cullens decision putting the Democratic
State ticket over the Gleason local ticket.
SECRETARY PALMERs VIEWS.
Both Mr. Hirsh and Senator Childs." said
Secretary Of State Palmer to-day, claim an
election on the ground that the Gleason portion
Of the blanket ballot in Queens County was H.
legal At Mr.. Hirshs request have forwarded
to him my official statement oath that no
State ticket nomina ted by the Gleasonitss
filed here in Albany required by law. The
county clerks of the various counties are guided,
and must be guided. by the Secretary OF state
in putting State ticket on blanket ballot.
because State nominations must be filed in AL
bany with the Secretary of State. The General
Term of the Supreme Court, when IL decided
against the State Democracy's right to use the
Democratic State ticket, gave the right decis-
ion and the only logical one. Local county
political organizations must not be permitted
to make state nominations. We shall have In
Vulnerable nominations of State tickets II this
is permitted"
What amendment do YOU think ought to be
made TO the blanket baot?"
certainly it should be made clear" replied the
Secretary OF State that. county organizations
cannot make State nominations unless by GER
I
The repeated printing on the blanket ballot OF
the names Of State candidates also ought to be
peremptoriy stopped. 1t was a wrong TO the
Republican party that the Democratic party in
every county Of the State had its State ticket
printed at least three times upon the blanket
ballot and In Queens County had its State ticket
printed at least four times.
MUST BE CORRECTED BY THE LEGIsLAr.
URE.
"Once is enough. The Democratic State ticket
should have been printed under the star and at
no other place This ic matter that must be
corrected by the Legislature Of 1895. or the Re-
publican party in self-piotection will have TO put
its Presidential Electoral ticket upon the blanket
/ ballot at least dozen times. OF course the
Democratic party would follow suit, and the Pro-
hibltionists Popusts and Socialists likewise. and
you would have a blanket ballot as big as a bed
quilt The present provision that any 1000 voters
can make State nomination would thus be
worked t. death. Tammany Hall nominated a
State ticket. the Democratic state ticket. with
certificate signed by 1900 voters. under the guse
of Independent Citizens Organization party
That is trick which can be easily played
dozen times over by any political party, and it
must be stopped.
VOTERS WHO WERE MIsLED.
James w. Bentley Republican. who for
one Of the city offices here In Albany, speaking
on the same topic to-day. said: Many voters
voted opposition candidates innocenty on Tues
day last by voting in the space TO the right in
stead Of to the left OF the candidates they had
selected. There ought TO be blank space be-
tween each column and not simply black rule
mark.
a good many politicians think that no inde-
pendent State nomination should be permitted
unless at least 5000 persons sign the nominating
! certificate. This, they believe would prevent
the nominating Of State tickets for fun" They
also think that the present law is little too
strict in regard 10 the marking Of ballots and
that the intent OF the voter, If clear. should be
a sufficient guide to an election inspector. and
the ballot ought not TO be rejected for himsy
/ reasons.
RADICAL CHANGES NECESSARY.
II Is clear from all the talk that radical changes
will be made IN the present Blanket Ballot law