The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-10-05

tion of preparing and casting the ballot
is in Australia much more simple than
in America. The voter, having been
registered and identified, enters the
booth-Rnd receives from the returning
officer ballot paper marked with the
initials OF the official. He passes at
once into one Of the separate compart-
ments provided. and unfolds his ballot.
That ballot contains the names OF all
candidates for the particular office to
be filed, arranged alphabetically. The
voter with pencil draws lines through
the names of men he does not wish to
vote for, leaving no more names than
the number of persons to be elected.
the returning officer, numbered and de-
posted in the box.
a word should be said at this point
concerning how voters are registered
and tickets nominated in Australia. In
every district n permanent official is
appointed whose duty it is. with the as
sistance Of the police, to enter upon
the district roll the name of every per-
son entitled to vote, and on another
roll the name of every person
no longer entitled. The rolls thus
compiled are publicly advertised, be-
sides being exposed for public inspec-
tion at certain places within each dis
trct for a month before they are sub
mitted for confirmation to the court
which sits, under the presidency of one
of the regular permanent judges, to
hear all objections either to the inclu-
sion or exclusion of names. OF these
objections due notice in writing must be
lodged by the person aggrieved with
the district registrar, and that officer
may either admit the error or contest
the claimed right before the court In
case of contest, no one but the claimant
himself is heard, and party considera-
tions are kept wholly to one side. When
contests are decided, the electoral roll
is declared approved for that particu-
lar election and no further question can
be raised as to the right to vote Of the
persons enrolled. Instead of selecting
candidates as we do in America by par
ty primaries and conventions, notice in
writing, signed by a certain number Of
registered electors, is filed within a
specified time before election with the
registrar Of the district that these vot-
crs want such and such names put on
the official ballot; and as many names
of candidates are entered as there are
duly signed petitions. Candidates for
each office being arranged on the ticket
alphabetically, without circles. quad
rangles or groups. the ballot may con-
tain dozen entries for each position
without requiring to be of unwieldy
size.
IN this way ii is remarks Mr.. Lusk,
that
An Australian election is no elaborate
function involving a cessation Of business,
with all the Objectionable surroundings or
idle voters and busy paid agents of parties
or candidates, whose very existence is
menace to freedom of choice and purity
polling booth can be made easily to ac-
commodate 5000 to 10000 voters between
8 o'clock in the forenoon and o'clock in
the afternoon, and the result of the vOt-
highlands largely to the simple eX-
pedient of obliterating instead of marking
names can be ascertained speedily and
with certainty. One thing indeed the Aus
tralan system does not dot in no way
lends itself to party or machine politics,
and 1t is absolutely opposed to everything
that can lend an excuse to the use of money
in connection with elections So stringent
indeed, are its provisions In this respect
that the courts might almost be depended
upon to invalidate any election where it
was shown that any subscription for elec-
ton expenses had been made on behalf of
II candidate, or where Il candidate himself
could be shown to have paid for anything
except advertising in the newspapers, a
committee room on the day of election,
and a days wages for one representative
at each polling place. These expenses are
recognized by law in Australia, and all
others are sternly prohibited.
The problem of adapting the good
principles of this system to the neces-
sarily different conditions of elections
in America SO as to retain it's advan-
tages without incurring it's disadvant-
ages is manifestly still unsolved We
have every reason to believe with Mr.
Lusk that no serious attempt has yet
been made by the men who control
American legislation to solve it. They
prefer a hybrid system Bearing the
magic of the Australian name with
little of its freedom from ring control
From Scranton to Canton and re-
turn" would make first-class cam
paign cry for local Republicans this
week. Scranton can't afford to fall be-
hind the CantOnward procession.