The herald., 1896-10-18
Its Roll for Ward Membership
Finally Closes
ABOUT FORTY FIVE HUNDRED
Members That Will Receive the Postal
Primary Ballot
Political Proportion About Two Republicans
to One Democrat
Some Suggestions Offered by the League
Membership as to voting-Proph-
ecy Of ]. F. Humphreys-Po-
litical News Notes.

ASACAA 4NSWD ANOtCDs
The gang at the city hail, who have for
the past sevan days been so actively en-
gagged canvassing and securing ward
memberships for the league for better
city government can now rest from their
labors in this direction.
The roll for ward memberships has
closed and the faithful adherents Of the
municipal Republican ring can do no
more than they have already done to
secure by the postal primary ballot the
endorsement Of the league for the entire
city ticket nominated by the Republican
convention.
The ward membership, according to
vthe statement made by Secretary Wal
ton, approximates 45O0. OF this number
1t Is admitted generally that there are
two Republicans for every Democrat.
Among some of the members Of the
league there has always been a feeling
that the postal primary ballot would not
prove to be the success it was thought
by some enthusiasts.
In some cases there are only two can
didates on the ballot for one off1ce-the
Democratic parties. The result in a case
of this kind will be that the Republican
nominee will carry the postal primary.
and, an injustice will be done, in in
stances, to good men.
The only way that this can be obviat-
ed is by the voter writing in the name Of
some third party where the names Of
but two parties appear on the ballot.
From its inception 1t was supposed
that the league would succeed in bring
ing at least one man to stand for every
city Office who would be free from party
pledges and party promises. and the
working members Of the league who
have been making a house to house can
vass obtaining members have promised
that non-partisan candidates would be
on the league ticket.
The situation is radically different in
regard to the offices Of city clerk, city
treasurer, city attorney and city street
superintendent, which are the most i'm
portant city offices within the gift Of the
people, and for which only the old
party candidates are named.
The ruling of the central committee
of the league makes majority Of votes
cast in the postal primary elect without
tion, and in the case Of the offices named
there will be a majority, unless the
members scratch their tickets in the
hope of throwing the nomination into
the convention.
The league members who have been
giving their time to this work see that If
1t was their desire to vote for the
straight party candidates they could
have worked with their parties instead
of with the so-called non-partisans.
The city central committee of the
league has attempted city reform
movement coupled with the difficult
task of giving thorough test of the
postal primary system, with the result
that the politicians have been the hust-
lers and are about the only ones whose
names are to be found on the league
tickets In the interest Of at least get
ting few unpledged competent busi-
ness men to come before the league con-
vention on October goth, the members
can scratch their tickets from top to
bottom and throw the nominations into
the convention. The following letter,
written and printed last month by John
+. Humphreys comes now almost in the
way of prophecy:
To the members Of the League for
Better City Government: If the re-
ports of the committees of this organi-
zation, as reported in our daily papers
of August 80, as adopted on August 6,
are correctly stated, there is, in my
opinion, q mistake made as to the vital
issue in reforming politics" that Will
- prove fatal to this organization in time.
This mistake appears in the report of
the postal primary committee, where it
favors sending out the ballot to every
voter, calling for delegates to a conven-
ton also to express a preference for
candidates for office The latter propo-
sition will create dissension and event.
ually prove fatal to this organization.
Some three years ago similar organi-
zation to this had up for discussion this
same question. I was on the sub-com-
mittee of three to investigate the SUBJ
ject. brought in a minority report, and
while 1t was in detail, the vital points
were the same as given below. There
were originally two obstacles in the way
OF fair expression of the people at
convention and election; one came from
the purchase Of votes, which has been
remedied by the Australian ballot; the
other Is the absolute power and control
Of conventions by handful of ward
politicians, which they acquire entirely
at the caucus, where seldom more than
10 per cent of the voters attend. This
can be remedied absolutely by mailing
the ballot to each voter, as per the great
register, containing a list of the candi-
dates for delegates to the conventions
OF the various political parties, to be
returned in time and counted by COM
mittee of said parties But to do away
with the conventions. as was first re-
ported, and vote by this plan for candl-
dates to office would be unpopular and
give rise to greater wrong; and to vote
for candidates as well as delegates, as is
recommended by this league will prove
fatal for any candidate for office 1t
makes no difference how good man and
how suitable for the office, or by what
manner his name is placed upon the bal
lot other than by the convention, will
prove unsatisfactory, and finally thwart
the intention of this organization and
destroy it. The plan I suggest of secur-
ing delegates to convention. if accom-
plished by this organization, will do
more good than all else they can do.
And should the organization finally dis
solve, first getting the plan adopted by
all political parties. you will certainly
nave an expression Of the whole people
IN convention, and you will find that if
any objections are made to this plan.