Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-03-30
THE JUDGES DUTY.
Those Who Decide Elections
and Their Discretion.
THERE II HOT ENOUGH CARE UsHD,

Dpait Tickets sna Whsa Thsss Are Na-
msse1s CaadiAasss Tor Eisstsea e tie
sans OAso-Ohjsss = - IasaEs Wei
vese. Nes - Oals II.
The right Of franchise 10 one Of the |
most cherished principles Of this
and such restrictionsI
40 are BY legislative enactment. |
% she Australian ballot. from
to time prescribed are designed
to protect the voter and to insure
the casting Of his ballot, rather than
to deprive him Of the right, or to
prescribe him. The successful op-
Grafton of the Australian ballot law
viii provide the proper safeguards,
where fair-minded, careful and :. in
telligent judges preside. The intent
Of the Law 10 not to make the judges
arbitrators of the absolute fate Of the
voter. And it is where the voter has
been in error in marking his bal
lot on particular Offices that
the judges should use the greatest
caution and discretion to. save this
vote on other candidates. In . word
no ballot should b thrown out with
out ample justification. Because in
preparing . "split" ticket the citizen
has failed to portray his intention
intelligently in marking his entire
ballot, he should not be deprived Of
his right of franchise absolutely.
His vote should be saved In the main
where it 10 possible to do it. The
laws hold that the judges should
read carefully the instructions TO-
voters where unable to decide on
. split ticket that has been
cast. The ballot should not be
counted for either candidate for such
office, but this should not interfere
with the counting Of votes for the
candidates for the other Offices. and
it 10 further set forth that the judges
have no right to throw out ballot
even il it bears writing or marks
other than the cross which is to set
forth the voters intention. TIE Ar
Gus 10 informed that judges have
been IN the habit Of casting out bal
lots under the slightest pretense or
pretext, and this IL wrong.
where 20 Exercise Discsetioa.
On the other hand, it 10 the duty
Of the judges while protecting the
intention and right of the citizen. to
likewise see that NO ballots improp-
erly marked are counted. Take 1t
for instance when there are several
candidates running for Office, as In
the case Of supervisors, justices,
constsblss, university trustees, etc.
In such instances it shall be the aim
Of the voter to clearly set forth who
he wants to vote for as we'll ss who
he don't want to vote for. Here 10 q
case in point. John Smith. an OBJ
jectionable candidate, may be
candidate for any Of the Of
fees In the group mentioned,
say for assistant supervisor.
To vote against him, the voter places
. Cross in front of the candidate who
is running opposite him. He, there
fore, compliments the man who il
running against Smith, but he lets
the man above him or below him for
the same Office 60 both unpunished
and unprotected. The voter may
have vindicated his wish to vote fol
one Of the candidates of the opposite
political faith for assistant super
visor. but he has not given any ex-
planation Whatever % to which Of the
candidates Of his own party he did
not want to vote ior-but he thought
he had done % exactly. And undsi
the section of the law pertain.
ing to such contingencies the vot<
so marked should not be counted
for any of the candidates for assis.
tant supervisor. although it may be
In thS other offices moro plainly
designated. The impossibillty o.
the judges comprehending who thu
voter does not favor 10 explained in
the fact that the candidates for Suct
Offices % are mentioned, are no
placed ON the ticket in rotation, sucl
% 10 the case with the candidates To-
which each party has but one nomi.
nation. and il may 90 happen ths
while the citizen 10 set on giving ,
) black eye to John Smith, he must
. according TO the ballot arrangement
place . cross before John Brown
name right opposite him. The sun
and substance Of the matter 10 that tn
voter has recorded himself in favol
. of Brown and against nobody in par
, ticular on the other side. 1t 10 II
determining such points % this tina
the judges Of election should be care
Iful. And finally for the voter ther
are only two safe ways to vote safely
lone 10 TO merely mark the circle ;
the top Of the ticket and let it 60. o
to pay no attention to It and mar
the square before each name yo'
lwant to vote for on either side. an
|partioularly when you get down t
where there are several candidate
for the same o6ice. But the straigh
ticket 10 the best for the voter. A
far - the judges are c oncerned, Ia
lAReUs would admonish them
study the law. -
PenssIng-0Afaage1.
Miss Grace Stranger. daughter