The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-11-27
Reform the Ballot Law.

Reform the Ballot Law.
It must be apparent to intelligent
and thoughtful citizens that the form
of ballot in use in this state is unfair
to the candidate and unjust to the
voter, and particularly the latter, If
he is lacking in educational qualiflca-
tions. 1t has been estimated that the
average loss, in every election, of votes
on the bottom of-the-ti candidates
is about % per cent as compared with
the votes on the tOp-of- the ticket can
didates. This may not be the correct
average, but whatever it is, it figures
against the chances Of election of those
candidates we'll down on the list.
This is the candidates point of view.
The voters view is that he is entitled
to the freest opportunity for express
ing his choice on the day Of election;
that he should be privileged to vote for
every candidate of his party, if he be
a party man, in the simplest and most
expeditions manner. If he wants to
scratch some candidates Of his own
party and vote for friends or whomso-
ever he considers a better candidate
of some other party, he should be al
lowed that privilege. 1t may truly be
said that he can DO both these things
with the present form of ballot; but
experience justihes the assertion that
q vast number of voters can do neither
in way that enables them to leave
the booth in the full consciousness that
they have satisfactorily performed the
duty which was uppermost in their
minds, when they stepped into the
Booth and were confronted with Il
suffering candle, a siX-inch shelf, two
tTenty-six-inch printed ballots and a
hiuated pencil. It requires alertness
end exceptional care in threading the
maze of names and picking out ones
candidates. Il is slow and toilsome
alaocsss and far too frequently is aban-
Cp@e5 altogether long before the vot-
oIs eye rests upon the coroner and the
school commissioner, both of whom are
entitled to consideration.
The state of Minnesota recognizes
70 educational qualification for the
suffrage. All citizens are regarded as
free and equal. and are guaranteed
protection and freedom in selecting the
pillars of local and state governments.
The present ballot is substantially the
recognition of an educational test, the
establishment of a class privilege
v hich ought not to be recognized or
tolerated any longer in so intelligent
and independent a state as Minnesota.
Whether the man who can read poorly
and write not at all, being restricted
therefore to the making of his mark
as in legal instruments, should be al
lowed to vote at all is quite another
question. 1t does not enter into any
consideration of the subject of a re-
form ballot law such as we are now
dealing with. The fact is, that the
state permits him to vote, and then,
through the intricacy of its voting ma
Chinery, robs him of his vote This is
so palpably dishonest as to require no
al gument.
The G OBJ presents today a fac
smile of the Australian ballot which
was voted in the state of New York
this year. 1t is, indeed, a ballot as is
a ballot The voter, whether he could
read or write stepped into the booth
and with a cross-two strokes of the
pencil-in the circle under the eagle
he had voted for the Rough Rider and
every man on the same ticket with
presented in our columns was of the
kind cast in New York city. On it the
name of every candidate of every
party is printed in the same column
and below the name of the leadins
candidate to be voted for-the gov
ernor. The value of this ballot IS ITS
marked simplicity. When a man has
discharged his election duty with suoh
ballot he knows exactly what he has
done, just as he knows how much
money he deposited in the bank the
day before. He can split his preroga.
tive into as many favors as he NAV
see fit; he may vote for Brown on the
Republican ticket, Jones on the Demo.
cratic and Smith on the Prohibition
with the absolute certainty that he
has made no mistake in his markine
and that the canvasser can make No
mistake in determining his intent. L
is the ballot for the people of this en-
lishtened state to insist upon receivins
from the legislature next winter. 1t i,
the ballot which the highest, the low
est. the richest, the poorest, the bes
and the least educated citizen can vot,
expeditiously and UNDERSTANDABLE
and with which he can make his vot,
count the most effectively.
VIII the public be fooled longer b,
the ballot now In use? Or will it de
mand an honest ballot such as this
VIII Its voice be heard in favor of thi.
reform?
Here is work-the reformation Of
our ballot-to which the ST Paul cham
Der of commerce can devote its intel.
hgenee and energy with the knowledge
that it Is comforting a most substantial
benefit upon our citizens. Other cham.
bers OF commerce may follow. Ever