The record-union., 1896-11-16
Weather Report.
THE EVOLUTION OF VOTING.

Now that the voting machine is likely
to-come into general use and that it is
certain to be tried in California, the
public interest in the working of the
machine in the last election is much
quickened, awaiting reports in detail,
for Massachusetts authorized the pur
chase of fifty machines at $3.50 each, to
be used as an experiment November
3D. We must assume, while awaiting
accounts, that they gave satisfaction,
since had they failed the telegraph
would assuredly have notified the pub
lie.
Of course pressing a button takes
away the sentiment about the ballot
box, because there is no banot-box at
all, and when the machines are in gen
era1 use we shall have the term ballot
box only as a tradition. However, 1t
viii continue to be spoken and written.
It is interviewer into our political lit
erature, and just as we speak of the
stump" and the 'hustings" SO we will
speak Of the ballot-box when the ma
chine shall have wholly displaced it.
AS to the economy of the machine
those adopted in Massachusetts appear
to be very expensive concerns. Others
have been rated good at a cost only
about half as much. But if we place
the cost Of a reliable machine at 5000
with one for each fifty voters, as the
law now is, we would need in Sacra-
mento County about 900 machines
costing Us S44,U00 But 1t is probable
that with the machine the voting will
be SO much more rapid that we could
che booth for every seventy-five in
stead Of every fifty voters.
Then, too, as against the cost Of the
machines we must credit the great saw
ing in the matter of printing ballots
The sample ballot will still be used but
we viii not need books OF ballots. There
will be a saving in tally sheets also, and
in the number of election officers One
clerk TO take down the voters names
and to write out the totals as called
from the machine, with one ballot clerk
viii be sufficient There will be a. dis
tinct saving In per diems also, for with
the machine there will be no toiling all
night over counts and pay every eight
hours for days work. When the vot-
ing ceases the machine will give the to-
tails of all votes cast, and in half an
hour after that the Election Board
may be dissolved
There Will be a large saving TO can
didates and parties also, because it will
not be necessary to hire watchers for
so long time to see that the counts OF
ballots are properly tailed, because
there will be no ballots: they are 10 go
along with the ballot-boxes, and cast
ing ones ballot win become also a
thing of tradition. In the new order of
things one may perhaps say that he
punches his ballot, since he Is to push
a button or punch button opposite the
name he desires to vote for.
What changes there have been, to be
sure IN voting processes, and all along
lines of progress and betterment. Early
in the history Of the nation viva yoce"
voting was the method. 1t had its ad-
yantages. but more disadvantages. 1t
tested courage. but 1t permitted coer-
cIon and COW, for il eliminated the Sc
crecy of the ballot that to-day we hold
30 dear. Chief Justice Taney used to
TELL says the Baltimore SUM-" of an
old-tine election IN Southern Mary
land.
He was candidate for election to the
House of Delegates In Calvert County
In 1899. He was a Federalist, but poll
itics were not considered then in State
and local affairs. Each candidate de-
pended upon his own popularity and In
dividual effort THE whole county,
wrote the Chief Justice, voted at the
Courthouse and the election lasted four
days The votes were viva voce and
the Sheriff held the election, and when
the polls were closed and the votes
added up he proclaimed in loud voice
the names of those who were chosen
The candidates, during the election, sat
cn q raised bench Immediately behind