Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-09-19


and acts as the Intermediary bet-.een
the demand for political action and the
supply o, poH,ica, power legislation or
administration en- one side and votes on
The other.
Great local bosses have grown up all
over the country who have found a
ready way 10 health and power by deal
ing with smaller bosses, and in such
cases as Croker and Plat the business
has become a wholesale one 50 that the
pecUniary interests that want political
c0ns- GRAFTON may deal not with lobby
lists or officials, but with great political
power shops where no books are kept.
HANNA TOPS THEM ALL.
Now in this campaign what the
ShOughtful observer Of our politics must
have been for some time looking for,
she great national organizer Of the po-
Iitical power Of money, seems to have
made an appearance, in the person of
Mark Hanna, whose face, and form, in
Davenport's WESTON Of them, are be-
coming more familiar than those of
'ei,her Of The candidates between whom
the next Presidency lies
What part he is yet 10 take, if the
man for whom he has so long and 50
Energedcally and ipJelligently worked,
becomes President of the United States,
remains TO be seen; but the immensely
OF the fund that may be put 10 use for
the election of his candidate must GER
tainly already entitle him 10 the Won
dering admiration of all other American
bosses. II must be so much as 70 be
practically unlimited, so much as 10
make one wonder how what is left Of il
after the usual allowance of fifty per
cent for leakage can be effectualy used,
50 much as 10 suggest 10 the man who
reads history in the only way it can in
s.rucuve,y De read with an eye 70 what
he sees around him, the enormous cleo
ton expenses Of Rome when Caesar was
only a rising young politician.
FUTURE NOT WITHOUT HOPE.
But there is some light. One Of the
most convincing proofs TO me that re-
forms may sometimes come quickly is
the general adoption of what is known
as the Australian ballot. When I first
went TO England l saw that the system
of voting there in use would cure some
of the obvious evils with which l had
been familiar in California. When, on
my return 70 this country, l proposed
this system in an article in the North
American Review, on Money in Elec-
tons" calling it, to avoid prejudice, the
Australian system, l remember that
friend 10 whom l read the article
thought, 50 impossible seemed 20 be its
adoption. that I was wasting my time
in preparing it. But to-day il has been
generally adopted in some form.
What is called the Australian ballot
has not brought about all that its san
guine supporters hoped from it. In
some of It's limitations it has been so
changed as in some ways 10 strengthen
the control of those who make a profess
sion Of politics, but it has at least made
extremely difficult AID unsatisfactory
The investment Of campaign funds in
Blocks Of Five"
Here in Illinois, for instance, the only
satisfactory way OF paying man for
his vote that American ingenuity has
devised that does not invoke the cCnnly-
Gnce of election officers, is that OF pay
Ing for the voting paper, device that
Australian ingenuity quickly hit upon
in the colony where the system was first
introduced.
PAY FOR NOT VOTING.
In this plan You bride a man 10 throw
away his vote by substituting a paper of
proper size for the Official ballot he re-
ceives in the booth, paying him when he
brings back the blank ballot. This
properly marked is handed TO another
man. who also gets his pay on the return
of a blank ballot, and SO on. But even
this method Of bribing while cumber-
some and difficult does not give GER
tainty. for if so disposed the bribed man
By other marks may make his ballot OF
no avail.
There is also known a little instru-
ment called Joker which instrument
carried on the finger Of an election judge
in handling q ballot may make a mark
that will cancel vote for q candidate.
But this, too. is difficult, and so in Hi
nois elections. since the introduction Of
the secret ballot. men have been paid
10 stay away from the pools. But,
though this may be resOrted to where
an election is close. and there Is plenty
Of money to spend, with no Scruple as
10 its use. it cannot count for much, as
the failure TO vote soon becomes q pre-
sumption OF bribing. Thus the only
way In which any very large amount OF
money can be spent in such an election
as this is. in hiring halls, employing
speakers, disseminating literature,
STRENGTHENING papers. getting up clubs,
arranging excursions, and in such ways
instructing voters and giving an appear
ance OF strength.
ALL THESE MEANS IN USE.
All these agencies are already being,
end i'm the more intense weeks to come
will be st.n more largely, used by the
well organized and well provided Re
publican managers, and doubtless TO
some extent by the National Democrats,
who are likely 10 be far stronger in
means and in organization than in
votes. but underneath all this IS the
question OF how the ballots viii be
marked.
Mus il is that the disintegradon Of
parties makes all attempts 70 forecast
the result in such State as Illinois 50
difficult. The Bryan speakers and clubs
are telling me to take Mckinley buttons
and wear them consp;cuously, TO JON
Mckinley excursions and gold clubs. TO
talk for Mckinley and against Bryan
whenever they feel that their places de-
pend upon il, but always 10 remember
that when they get in the voting booth
and the door is closed and the yotns
paper is before them 10 be marked, THAI
then, if not before. they are free men.