The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-03-29
BALLOT REFORM LAWS.

7 TNLESS the StrattOn primary law IS sham and
q c-eterse there Is no occasion iOr the hysteTl-
- cal ovrotechn.cs with which the Examiner has
greeted the appearance OF the Richard ballot bill upon
the stature-boos Il Governor Gage was justified IN
signing me former he was justified II signing the lat
Ter for the complete operation OF one IS involved TO
some extent with the operation OF the other Why a
newspaper which hailed one as the incarnation OF bal
lot reform should denounce the other as the pet
measure OF the scoundrel bosses IS certainly lnoo-
prehe-s.5.e 10 q healthy mind
The S--zuon primary law provides Tor legal cleo
ton fo- delegates 70 nominating conventions, but in
order 70 hold convention and obtain a place upon
the ballot under party name political organization
must choose delegates in every precinct Runp con
yent.ons or conventions which ernanate from self
constituted committees or piece clubs, will not be
recognized The law authorizes independent move
nent but dscredits party designations Tor them Il
the N0n-Partsans OF this city, for instance, can prove
that they obtained per cent OF the vote cast at the
last election they put ticket on the ballot under
the name independent" but that Is all
Having thus paved the way for the nomination OF
tickets by legally constituted conventions, and having
swept the entire brood OF piece clubs and.nomnat-
ing committees into oblivion the Legislature natur-
ally abolished the alphabetical system OF the Austria
Ian ballot The Richard law simply provides that
alter the reform primary law has produced legal
tickets they shall 20 upon the official ballot IN a
bunch in short that the people shall be permitted TO
choose the nominees OF the peoples conventions &C
cording to party label and not according TO party
designation alphabetically. II the Richard law IS
"iniqutous and Unfair the Stratton primary law IS
worse for It IS the foundation OF the Richard law, and
without II the latter could not stand
When, therefore, the Examiner says that the
Richard law strikes at intelligence and puts pre-
MUM on ignorance" It draws the sandlot DOW very
strong II its sole purpose IS TO permit the bosses
to elect the men they nominate in their manipulated
conventions and 10 keep the independent voters from
interfering with the disgracefuI sale OF places what
IS the matter with the Stratton primary law, which
gives the people chance TO beat the bosses in the
manipulated conventions?
The fact OF the matter IS all this IS the veriest rot
The Australian ballot system has not reformed and
vii. not reform the government Some Of the worst
scoundres who ever disgraced the people have been
elected under it. notably the late Board OF Education
which for niamy and villainy was easily entitled to
the championship OF the world. Governor Gage in
signing the Richard bill has not struck blow at any
body save the .hysterca editor OF the Examiner He
has simply supplemented the Stratton primary law
which that editor urged him to sign and which was
regarded by him the greatest reform statute OF the
century, with 4 law which viii give it effect.
The truth IS, ballot systems do not make govern
mems. Any system is good enough for a virtuous
and upright people who attend to their civic duties
The Richard bill will not prevent any intelligent citi
zen expressing his preferences at the baot-box Il
may confuse few ignoramuses but that will do nc
harm It is chiefly through the SURFACES OF the g-
noramuses that the rascals get into Office.