Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-11-12

Mr. Thomas b. Coursey of Spring
Mills near Frederick, who although in
his ninetieth year still has an active
interest In the cause OF electoral reform
in Delaware, writes letter to the
Delawarean in which he suggests some
changes in our mode of voting. Mr.
Coursey says;
Both the ballot law and the registry
law need modifying, and while muking
no claim OF being learned in law, would
with your permission offer a few sug-
gestions. I would respectfully suggest
that tho tickets be OF the old style,
except being printed on paper OF
different colors as in the Myers system,
blue for the Democrats, red for the
Republicans and other colors for those
that may have party candidates to be
voted for. To make the ballot secret
this would of course require an envelope
(which may be small and cheap, with
out this the election officers and any
others that may be permitted to be in
the room could see how each voter cast
his vote.
The tickets Of all parties having can
didstes 10 the field should be placed
in each booth, with stickers enough
OF all candidates to accommodate all
that may wish to change their Tickets.
One chief advantage of this system
would he that tho uneducated man
though he could not read syllable or
his own name, could select at glance
the ticket of the party with which he
Initiates and which he votes; having
selected his ticket and in private
places it in the envelope. No one can
know for certainty how no votes.
This would be absolutely secret bal
lot and would accomplish all that can be
done in that line for the suppression of
bribery.
You know that We have reason to
believe that the present ballot is no
restraint whatever against bribery, for
it is notorious fnct that there has
been much more bribery under the
present law than ever before. Indeed,
if ii had been designed 10 the interest
of bribery it would not have been
better adapted to tho purpose. For
instance John Smith, a Republican,
barters with John Brown, Democrat,
to vote the Republican ticket for a
stipulated sum. Smith tells John
Jones' another Republican, TO go into
tho polling room with John Brown
and see that he votes the Republican
ticket: of course Brown wants his
ticket changed and calls on the Repub.
lican voters assistant to change his
vote. That settles it and Jones says to
Smith all right and this can be con-
tinued all day il the funds hold out
This abomination has grown until
our State is byword and reproach as
the most corrupt State in tho Union,
and the Democratic party must not put
on a cloak of purity and say that |
am holier than they. Thoy could beat
the Republicans every time until the
Gas King came in with his money bags
to debauch voters for purely selfish
ends. | sec no way of further check.
ing this evil only it bo done by dis.
franchising every voter that can be
convicted of selling his vote, and dis.
qualify the buyers from holding any
Office. If few convictions Of that
kind could be made it would go faI
toward suppressing the evil.
l am now near the close of my nine
tieth year and have never bought O
vote directly or furnished funds know.
ingly for that purpoae. Ii paying mems
taxes at tie polls is buying votes
must plead guilty. Ireally have my
doubts about the propriety of doing
that, for man that has not sufficient
interest in the government to raise the
paltry sum or poll tax has not much
to lose ii he fails to vote.
Mr.. Coursey, it may be added, wal
actively identified with Delaware
politics Cor many years, and in 1871
was the nominee OF the Republican
party for the Office of Governor.
The point to which Mr.. Course,
especially calls attention is the failur
OF tho present system Of voting +
secure absolutely secrecy 1t IS bold
and properly, that secret ballot vii
do more to mako a pure ballot thai
anything else, a corrupt vote buye
is seldom gullible, and usually want
proof that his human chattei votes Il
he is paid to vote. lilo will not accep
the degraded vote,seller'a word, for b
REASONS that man low enough to nc
his vote will be mean enough to Ii
about it. Therefore he wants proof
Heretofore this means of proof ha
beon found in the voters assistants
These officers Of the eioCtion-for tha
is what they really are--go into th
booth with the iloster and SEQ that b
votes as ne is paid to vote, and upo
their certificate tho money is paic
The yoters' assistants, therefore, are
potent factor in corrupting suffrage.
is for this reason that the Union Ri
publicans fought SO vlciously for thef
otiicara at the recent election. eve
going SO far in two instances as to pr
vent the holding of tho election becaus
their demands were not complied will
No matter what other changes ma
be made in tine law, tho voter
assistants should DO eliminated frol
future elections in Delaware. III
system of independent voting ought I
be simpliied so as to be medo plai
to evory voter, however ignorant. BIT
the voters' assistant, intended as d
aid TO honest elections, has quick
degeGcrated into an agency OF frau
and corruption. The voters assistar
should 60.