New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-17
1906 Laundry Soap
the best and purest
Colgate & Co.
RAINESS BILL PASSED.
IT AMENDS THE BALLOT REFORM LAW

ITS DEFECTS WE'RE OBVIOUS AND WERE AD-
MITrED. BIT THE SENATORS DECIDED
To LEAVE IT TO THE ASSEMBLY
TO OVERCOME THEM.
ley TELEGRAPH TO THE TRiBUNE
Albany. April 16-The Senate to-day passed
the bill of John Raines, amending the Ballot
Reform law Mr.. Raines made an abominable
change in one respect in the law, by authoriz-
inc illiterate voters to take friends with them
into the booth to prepare their ballots for
them This opens wide the door to bribery. as
was pointed out by Leutenant-Governor Sax
ton in The Tribune of yesterday.
The leading Republican Senators all expressed
their disapproval of this section of the bill to-
day. and would have amended the Dill IN TINS
respect. so as to give election officials only
the authority thus to aid iterate voters. out
unfortunately the bill was on the order of third
reading and if it should be amended IT could
not be acted upon again in less than three
davs II was argued that time would be spared
by having this amendment made in the Assem-
bly, with other amendments which are acknow-
edged TO be necessary. With this understand
ing the bill was passed by a vote OF - to ..
! The bill abolishes the present multiple-ballot
system and creates blanket ballot. upon
which will be printed in parallel columns the
names Of the candidates for Office or each
political party. There will be party embiems
upon each ballot, to guide iliterate voters ana
the name of the political party making the
nominations will also be printed upon the bal
lot above the list of its nominations. The de-
bate upon the bill held the attention of the
Senate for three hours
Senator Raines said that he hoped the bill
would be found worthy of the confidence OF the
Senate; that 1t not introduced in the inter-
est of any political party but solely In the inter-
est Of honest elections. He had accepted sus-
gestions from all sources To overcome the DIM
culties about folding the ballot, 1t was to be
handed already folded to the voter.
Senator Cantor said the Democrats wanted TO
have three questions answered. Ihey were
What IS the occasion for a new law when all the
people ask is a new ballot? why shouid 'n'
illiterate be allowed to take some one into the
booth opening the way to fraud? why mas the
registry law been changed to favor me country
districts? Otherwise. he said, the bill seemed
fair and proper. ,
senator Raines said the old law and the Consti-
tuition made the bill necessary. NO other
changes had been made except to throw further
safeguards around the ballot. The Constitution
required personal registration in villages OF "ooO
and upward hence the provisions for the registry
in country districts. He read the CONSTITUTION
relative to the right to vote. and said ne would
not frame a bill TO deprive any one OF the rlgh'.
Therefore he had provided for the ignorant voter
who could not read or write.
Senator Cantor said a simple measure dong
away with a multiplicity Of ballots was all thdt
was needed He moved TO recommit the bill. To
amend so as to provide for re-enactng the present
Registry law and to have the election inspectors
accompany the iliterate voter ,.
senator Stapleton criticised several provisions
Of the bill as being too eXaCing o. too uncertain
notably the requirements ior trimming the ballots
and for distance markers II" thought the pill
ought to be defeated.
senator O'Connor, Senator Higgins ana others
favored the Cantor amendment allowing two cleo
tion officers to go into the booth with iliterates,
hut were willing that IL should go 10 the Assem-
hlv and there be amended The amendment was
lost Senator StapletOn moved 70 recomIIit 20
perfect it, The motion lost and the bill put
on final passage. ~ 49,.
Senator Guy thought the Sanger bill better ina y
the one under consideration Senator Lexow sall
he had hoped TO live to vote for bill without any
paster He complmented Senator Raines for MS
faithful work the bill.
Senator O'Sullivan objected to the ballot as a
whole He said IT lifted the standard OF lihteracy
rather than reduced II. He held that II disgraced
the American franchise and for this reason ne
should vote against the bill ,.,
Senator Stapleton said he would refuse 10 stuti-
~ himself by voting for bill he knew TO be de-
fective. o,-.-
The bill was passed-ayes, %; noes 3-Stapie'oh'
O'Sullivan and Guy.