The record-union., 1897-02-03
CHANGE THE FORM OF TIE
BALLOT.

The New York Post" objects to the
abohshment of the alphabetical order
of arranging names on the Australian
ballot and substituting therefor the
ticket column system, by which an en-
tire party ticket is placed in a column,
so that by stamping opposite the party
designation at the head the voter can
vote a straight ticket.
We are surprised q t the position of the
Post" usually so clear-headed. 1t
claims that the column system is in IA
vor Of the machine" because it ena-
bles partisans to vote straight, and
therefore destroys independent voting
That argument defeats itself II the
partisan and the machine men are com
pelEad to pick out of the alphabetical
list the men they are bound to vote for,
is not the same end attained by the
machine If the names are In party col
Umns; and is there any impediment
placed in the path of the man who votes
Independently?
We are for the change to the column
system. because it was our original
contention as to the form Of the bal
lot, twelve years ago and more. and we
have seen nothing advanced that con-
vinces US against that system. The in
dependent voter is such no matter
what the form of the ballot. The col
uTnn system is not destructive Of Sc
cercy as the Post contends? The
voter is in the seclusfon Of the booth.
no matter what the form of the ballot,
and there is no more Likelihood that the
author Of a straight vote viii be known
from the ballot than the author Of the
independent vote.
Moreover, there are many partiSans
who are every whit as good citizens and
hold to as high ideals as independents.
and yet who never vote straight tick
cts What earthly use is there, for in
stance, in compelling voter to stamp
opposite each name on an electoral
ticket, when the same duty can be as
well performed by stamping opposite
one for all?
But the reason for the column svs-
tenn lis strong in this respect. namely.
that ii prevents the voter not accus-
toned to clerical work or quick with the
stamp from being misled and made
nervous. He can see at a glance what
political party or faction a list of nom
inees represents. and can make no mis-
take such as is common when he has
10 worry through long line of alpha
betically arranged names with myste-
riously initiated marks following each
name and supposed To indicate the po-
litical complexion Of the nominee.
Moreover, it is notorious that very
many men fail to vote entirely through
a ballot because of the doubt they feel
as1 to the selection OF just the men they
Wish to vote for and as to the time al
lotted them expiring before they finish
their task, so that candidates low down
Ia an alphabetical list almost always re-
ceive fewer votes than men Of the same
ticket whose names are up among the
AS and BIS and C's.
There is nothing essentially wrong in
straight AOtlnSs lt cannot IN any case
prevent the independept voter picking
and choosing. on the contrary, where
the party lists stand on the ballot in
parallel columns it IS easier by far 10
vote for one IN one column and one in
another than to pick out the names
from an alphabetically arranged list,
where nominees Of all political complex :
dons are mixed in confusion confounded.
The Record Union" was the first pa
per on the Pacific Coast to advocate the
reform ballot system. 1t urged 1t upon
public attention for a long time before
it was taken up politically. This jour
nal was the object Of much sneering and
reproachful criticism and abuse because
it advocated departure from the old
system in favor OF the reformed method.
ii has had the satisfaction of seeing all
its predictions fulfilled, and the ancient
enemies of the Australian system be-