The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1898-10-27
CALIFORNIA FIG SYRUP co.
Our "AustraIian" Ballot.

The "'Maine Farmer demands the re-
peal of our so-oalled Australian ballot
law. 1t calls special attention to the
expense attending the application of it,
and to the graver objection that it
deprives large number of voters of
the elective franchise The Farmer
estimates the expense attending the
operation OF the law this year at so, 900,
but there are those who would not OBJ
ject to the large expenditure if thereby
the objects for which the adoption
of the Australian system was urged were
secured.
1t is but fair to note that the existing
statute differs as widely in essential
features from the measure proposed by
the advocates of the Australian ballot
in this State, as it fails i'll operation to
realize the practical ends which they
sought. The present law is a hybrid,
born of the cross purposes of the friends
and opponents of a secret ballot. The
former transmitted to the misbegotten
progeny some of the forms of the system
they favored, while in its effect the law
breeds back to the latter, and, as whole,
it las deprived voters of the secrecy
which they We're able to enjoy under the
old system OF voting.
. " ~ " 80 P
Icdiiy no secrecy. Every oysldhuer may
easily know whether voter (unless indeed
the latter makes a mistake so marks his
ballot as 10 make Of il a ''regular'' party
ticket, and with little closer observa-
t!"h' may also kho" over "Ilch parry
ticket the voter placed his \, while Who
ever votes other than a straight ticket, is
compelled by the law to publish that fact
to everybody about the polls. Nor is this
an ne methou pfoVlded loi MS eNefcls-
ing TINS unquestlonab!e rlght is such that
ne Is colhPeileu 70 90 u Ill peculiarly 90
ho&louS way. 1t requires MN 10 SET an
example dnu pTactlcdlly 70 ADVISE otnelS
10 90 the same When ne Wouln ram
ulScharSt WHAT ne cohcelVes TO pe MS
DUTY IN a quiet, unootiuslVe and unoo-
Jecuohaole manner. inns, together with
the tear mat II he attempts to vote otner
than a straight TICKET, he may lose his
vote aLtogether has led many voter not
prepared to endorse every name on his
party ticket, either 60 vote as ne dld not
care to, or TO absent himself from the
polls altogether The law thus exercises
a direct and potent influence upon the
volltlon OF the voter and tends directly to
induce him to vote tor regular NOM
lnee however Objectionable the latter may
be either upon personal grounds OF broader
considerations.
Again the law as applied, actually
lnterposes physical obstacle to voting
anything but regular ticket. 1t makes
provision in its text for ali who wish to
vote otherwise, as follows:
''And if any voters shall desire to vote
for any person or persons whose name or
names are not printed as candidates on
any name or names which are printed on
the group or party ticket and under
The name or names 50 erased, I'LL IN the
lame or names of the candidates of his
CHOICE
Yet the ballot is usually prepared with
the space below each name so narrow thai
only the expert is chlrography can write
name in it as substitute for the one he
may have erased, and only deft fingers
can put ''sticker'' SO as not to spoil
his ballot.
Desirable as party organization is, and
wise as it ordinarily is that Irregular
nominees be supported, all voters, SO far
as the law is concerned, should be on a
par at the polls The statutes should be
such as to make it as easy for citizen to
vote according to the dictates of his own
judgment and conscience, even though he
votes alone, as if he felt at liberty to obey
the behest of party and support the
''straight ticket.
Referring to the effect of the law in this
particular the Farmer says:
''Disgust with the useless machinery,
prevention of the wish Of the voter be-
ing recognized and total failure to Sc
cure what was claimed by its cham
pions, have 50 increased the number
of voters refusing to qualify by regis
more oelng lelt IN me nanos OF .ne