The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1896-05-08
VILLAGE MEETING.
CONTINUED from I'd page. }
There were only six spoiled ballots


y There we're only six spoiled ballots
8 1t is one of the worst things abou
D such II hot fight as that of Tuesday
| that il causes so many unneighborly
S suspicious of one another. In this wa.
good deal of bitter comment wal
t made on the fact that canvassers wen
> through the Estev shops before the
meeting asking men how they were
going to vote, an action which, IN
view of the fact that Capt. Estey was
J at the head of one ticket, many were
, prompt to construe as an attempt to
"spot" or control the mems votes and
was widely reported as such, but unjust
~. The fact is that the canvassing was
done there just as ii was everywhere
else in the village for the purpose of
finding out who voters were and arran-
ging to get them out, and neither
Capt Estey nor the firm had anything
to co with it, beyond permitting the
canvassing to be done, as they do not
ordinarily, because of the intense in
terest which all the people had got up
in the subject 1t is fortunate, how
ever, in tho state of feeling, that we
had the Australian ballot, which pre-
cludes the possibility OF spotting votes
if there were such disposition, and
as proof that there was not it is to be
remembered how. earnestly Gen. Estey
advocated this ballot at last years
meeting, and in justice it is to be said
that the Esteys have been very care
full, for many years at any rate, to
avoid even the appearance of any at
tempt to control votes. After careful:in-
a t,pfsa I,nf
no attempt or intention Of the kind on
is on the part of any employers in
town, the Reformer will be seen
jumping on it. Still it is best to avoid
demonstration, for large employers
not to allow election canvassing in
their works, or if they do to be very
careful not to allow any one to engage
in it who can reasonably be ssspected
of representing the concern.
There were just i0l straight ballots.
The rest, over 400 in number, were
split more or less and in all ways.
so on the whole, as one for the enforce
ment Of the liquor law. Nov suppose |
it is done, thoroughly, effectively, I'M
compromisingly SO as to stop up the |
traffic entirely and have no chance for
dispute. DO you believe the action !
would be sustained at the end of the !
year: 1t would be interesting 70
eliminate the element that wants .
''only Just IA lit le', enforcement.
There is CLEAN in the eyes of some
of the Republican leaders as they re
mark that this was 1.-THE first caucus
ticket ever defeated. -
The argument against the Australian
system that has looked so formidable,
that it made Caucus King" was
pretty well dissipated. The result
proves that it is iDexcusable neglect
where lit does this. II there are 10 or
ID voters who are dissatitied with
caucus result, all they have to do is
TO sign and file nomination papers and
that is Just as easy as for them to get
together and fix up ticket and then
have it printed themselves under the
old system.
There was profusc kicking in general
way and over the check list. During
the progress of the voting and after
two O'Clock some - names were added
to the list by tho action. 3 to 2,of the
board of civil authority, on the ground
that they had been omitted by clerical
at all it ought to be in the direction of
allowing men to vote who have clear
right to. OF these . were fairly "cler-
lcal errors as compared with last
years check list. and the others
were errors that occurred in some way ,
as reported by Collector Gordon, who !
from which the check list is drawn.
oil
we're all, or nearly all, of those who s
had been turned away from the polls {
Turing the day, and been notified to !
appear after l 80 when the civil au- {
hority would act on their complaints. \
The supporters of the old board, how !
yer, were suspicious that the additions \
we're intended to strengthen the other i
ide, and protested agains. them, {
laiming that the understanding was h
hat the changes of the check lists o
you'd end with SATURDAY. night that I
Fitts had brought in a list Monday n
light which was refused addition for II
his reason, that the posting OF the list /
'as for the purpose of enabling voters 4
o see whether their names were on \
nd it was through their neglect if \
mitted. and finally that to allow addi- \
ibuE W COUtluuc up W tilt ClJslLS VI "a
be polls was to nulify the whole pur- r.
ose of the check list law. On the y
ther side the argument was that the r
tatute forbids the taking of name !,
ON the list after being placed /,
pom that year or previous 4
without notice and chance for fo
hearing, and that most of these =
ises at least come under that head. Y,
he old board supporters hustled n
,und, after the decision and got in II,
ute a number Of men who had been :
nitted, but believed that they lost IA
lite bit under it, The difficulty W
I'd several causes, chief of which is Co.
e fact that the village check list ~;
rs not been regarded of any impor Of
nee, in the lack of any serious con do
st, for gsod many years, and too +
uch was thrown upon this year, with Ia
e utmost faithfulness, to do right. tb
proves what we have always main Re-
ined, that if there is check list law y,
ought TO be accompanied by the re-
irement of personal registration.
ithout it there will always be omls-
ms, injustice and wrangles, the best Fl
e officials can do. po!
4 large factor in the result, and Do
e that was not generally appreciated too
til close to the end, was the opposi Us
IN to city charter. Neither board
,od for this issue or purpose, and
v if any of the candidates on either at
, decided in favor of applying for 'ea