The sun., 1896-10-10
THE NEW ELECTION Law.
The Opposition 60 II DurinR IT'S Passage
Through the LEGISLATURE.

Through the Legislature.
To THE EDITOR OF the SuN-Sir: Will you
kindly permit me to add q few words of com
ment upon our election law in addition to what
you said so we'll editorially on Sunday last
The Importance Of the subject is, think, my
sufficient apology.
As was pointed out repeatedly before its adop-
tion, tho form OF ballot in use In this State
is not the Australian ballot At all. but a party
column ballot, very different matter. Any
law which embodies the latter inevitably places
every nominee not running upon complete
ticket nominated by party convention" as
defined by the election law. at n disadvantage,
and by preventing such candidates from getting
votes which would be cast for them under an
equal system. It thwarts the will OF the people.
Every party column law s open to this objec-
tion; and n such a law should be conceived
and drawn as to minimize this dis
elimination II would be so ensy by ap-
parently trining amendments to remove every
safeguard designed to preserve independent
action. and thus to render the disagreeable
kicker" powerless, that such n measure would
invite the combined attacks OF all whose In
terest would bo served by preventing the free
expression of public opinion. II 10 therefore
plain that such a law Ia opposed to the true
spirit of democracy. and that the time for free
citizens to make their fight against IL is before
such n measure is imposed upon them; and 1t
protest was not only last winter" +" lat which
time, as It is ouriousiy related by n prominent
body on the subject, but also and particular
y the winter before last, when. IN alleged fpl.
reform, the P party which then @ % came into % power power
saddled the state with the law which is still in
force in a. All essential NJ features This was accom-,
| very few independent men in both Houses who
feprssssned % the @ determined opposition Of mere
parently did not sufficiently interest the public
| 10 enlist the cooperation OF the reform press.
that the amendments to the law made last year
| met with no opposition, but were smuggled
se Of ,p to
have been perpetrated. would 1t tire you to hear
Tho City Club tof whose Committee on Ballot
Reform have the honor to be Chairman pre-
m pared two printed p, papers exposing the nature
herewith copies of those papers. You will no.
tice that the one bearing the later date is q
rather than upon the form OF ballot already
embGded In the law. which had been op-
sent by tho club to every mem Der of both
Houses. to more than one hundred newspapers.
State. The club also opposed the amendments
by oral argument before the committees of the
~ three tvpeWritten letters on the same 81 beet
| addressed TO individuals and newspapers. copies
you Pease 4ots the 10 aGoaS
| tion taken from tho one dated April 8:
I'VE beg to sugEsss f S III that little time
after 1t has been enacted into law. may enable
you to render an important service by inform
proposed that they shall vote next Novem ber."
In addition to these steps the CLUB caused to be
Senate and by. Mr.. Sanger In the House, a
genuine Australian ballot bill. copies Of which
were sent to the principal newspapers in the
State on the same lines as that which 1t put
forward the winter previous but even more
carefully drafted. II these and other efforts
| here ahOuld n suffice IN n
prise the public that something OF interest is
going forward. what, Mr. Editor; would you have
/! But it is, as you intimate. at last evident to
| some OF our reform" journals that some thing
! objectionable has happened to our election La !!
1t is also curious to note that one OF these
| journals Ia disposed to charge upon Senator
Raines personally the responsibility for amend
ments which are supposed to cause all the
trouble. Does 1T not remember that Gov. Nor
the measure and secured the passage Of the
smsndments by dispen.inE with the necessity
| upon the desks Of the me N bers for three whole
DAYS before final action
| But. Mr. Editor, this Is a communication with
| moral. which will now endeavor to state as
| briefly as possible.
independently OF the question whether last
fight for ballot reform, is it not apparent that
perhaps this year would be a good time to do so.
and II not successful this year, then next year.
The genuine Australian ballot tsee an inter-
ssng article % on the suIjsct by former I'm mem
rent number of the Forum has also been in use
In Massaehnsetts tor many years and has de-
1t is the only form OF blanket ballot adapted
to tho great State OF New York. the mass OF
whose voters care little for party regularity.
and. as history demonstrates, require the great
/ est opportunity for freedom in making nomna-
tIons and of selection in voting for the persons
! nominated. II 1t is the best. It is not too good
for u.s. BoUDISor KEITH.