New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-24

IMPROVEMENTS IN THE WAY OF GREAT
Err EXPLICITNESS AND CLEARNESS
PARTY AND INDEPENDENT NOMINATIONS AND
THE TIME ALLOWED FOR PREPARING BAL

PARTY AND INDEPENDENT NOMINATIONS AND
LoTs-How THE BALLOT WILL LOOK
As the time for election draws and those
having to do with the preparation of the official
ballots examine the Election law II appears
that the act which became Law with the Gov
ernors approval May q last contains many inter
csting and important changes from the law Of last
year. In a general way. the new law is much more
explicit and lucid than before and many points
which were matters of controversy and individual
Interpretation year ago are expressed In definite
language. There are yet some features which are
subjected criticism by those having the practical
work OF supplying the ballots in hand, such as the
decreased limit of time for their preparation but
Il is probable that the improvements outnumber
the drawbacks embodied in the new law. II will be
wei for county clerks and the official boards IN
New-York and Kings counties and those interested
I'm making Independent nominations 10 scrutinize
the present provisions carefully. Among the
changes which they will notice are the following;
Last year the line between party nominations
and Independent nominations was drawn at the
limit Of 1000 in the State. or per cent OF
the entire votes cast in given district at the last
general election" This year. however the law spe-
CITES that the 10 900 which entite party TO
party column the ballot must have been cast
for such officers the last Gubornatoral election
and eliminates the per cent clause for local NOM
nations The requirements for independent nom
nations are materially changed. Last year it
was required that Independent nominations should
be made by a minimum OF 5000 voters TOT state
officers but this the limit Is raised to-@V"
with the proviso that in making up such number,
AT least fifty in each county Of the State
shall subscribe TO the certificate of nomination.
The increase is I'm about the same proportion for
independent nomna Ions for local offices In cities
Of the first class 900 electors are required for an
independent nomination; in cities Of the second
class 1000 and in other cities, 500 For independent
nominations for other than municipal offices, in
districts less than The whole State. but greater
than n town or ward 1oo0 required: in a school
or Assembly district 500 against 25o last year ana
In a town ward village. 100, against % last year
DEMOCRACY's FLAG HAULED DOWN.
In the section containing party emblems any
representation OF a coin currency of the United
States Is added TO the prohibited designs IN ths
connection it may no. be amss to call attention 10
a slight error in of the embems as hrst sent
out last year which not universally detected
when the Secretary of State sent out revised
proof TO the ballot officials In the proofs frst sent
out the emblem OF the democratic Reform farV
ORGANIZATION consisting of ful-rlsseu snip
whose sails buged one way, while Its coiors pIe"
straight the other waydoubtess typfying the apii-
ttv of the Democracy TO blow both ways at once
had flag flying from the signal halyards at the
neak of the spanker gaf In tho revised edition
this flag was removed. although the o'heiS oo'
tinue TO futter in miraculous opposition 10 'e laws
of nature Just what this signal was "hich was
hauled down. and why 1t was hauled GOWN are io'
known. Possibly IL an American nag anu coi'-
trarv 10 the Ballot law but II So il wes unrecog-
nizable and looked more like a pirates nag OF
Government signal for stormy weather
The sections providing the times for fling GER
,,eca,as Of nominations and for declining nominal
tions have been changed and while the t'e i''it'
,.fo,s election for the former have been increased
,he dates before which nominations can be decii'eu
are moved so to Election Day tha' sreat 'o''-
attenuation has been produced in some couh'les ~
the fear that there is not time enough aiio"eu I"
which TO have the ballots printed. Party hoihia-
t,ons which must be filed with the Secretary OF
State must be so filed at least thirty and not more
than forty days before election, tho same as ne
fore: but the minimum limit for independent hoini-
nations is Increased from twenty to twent! nVe
DAYS before election. Those required 10 De hlec
with county clerks, the Board OF Police Connlis-
sioners Of New-York. or the Board OF ElectoIs Vi
Brooklyn II party nominations must be hieu Ne
tween twenty-five and thirty-hve days before eiec-
ton as before but the limits foI such INDEPENDENT
nominations are increased from fifteen ana lhliiy
DAYS last year TO twenty and thrtt-fve days TINS
year Party nominations which are to be ,hied win
city OF other cities must now be IN AT ieast
twenty five and not more than thlrty-hVe Gays pe-
fore election. against fifteen and twenty DAYS last
wear and independent nominations at least twenty
and not more than thirty five days against Twelve
and twenty days heretofore With party nomna-
tions required 10 be filed with town or village
clerks the minimum time before election is in
creased from twelve TO fifteen days. and for inde-
pendent nominations the minimum is Increased
from eight TO ten days. the maximum in both cases
being twenty days before election as before.
NARROW MARGIN OF TIME.
But II is the period in which destinations may
be made which causes so much alarm Deciind-
lions OF nominations must be made to the oiiicers
with whom the nominations have been originally
1lsd as follows: OF party nOinllld-
lions filed with the Secretary of State at least
twenty-five. instead of fourteen days before cleo
ton. and Of Independent nominations at least
twenty instead of twelve days; with the boards OF
New-York and Brooklyn and city clerks OF other
cities. twenty instead of fourteen days for party
nominations and eighteen instead Of twelve days
for Independent nominations, and with town or
village clerks. ten instead Of fourteen days for
party nominations and seven instead or Twelve
days for independent nominations. When 1t Is
considered that by a subsequent provision the
sample ballots must be in the hands of the proper
officer at least five days and the official ballots
al least four days before election, 1t VIII be seen
that a margin of only two or three days Is LETT be-
tween the time when destinations may be filed and
the time when the ballots must be in the hands
Of the county clerk where town or village onicers
are elected on the ticket
The section concerning the publication Of nomi-
nations In the newspapers contains one change
consisting of the dropping of two final letters from
certain adjective. which will he observed with
no little interest by the newspaper fraternity. more
particularly those who indulge in inflated claims
Of Largest circulation" and those of their rival
contemporaries who don't believe q word they say
Last year the law required the publication of the
nomina lions in least newspapers of differ
ent politics representing the parties which cast
the largest and next to the largest number of votes
the last preceding election of State officers,
which papers have the largest circulation within
the county city in which the publication is re-
CURED This year. however with the exception
Of Brooklyn where the corporation newspapers
are the medium. the words last preceding cleo
ton for State officers changed TO last pre-