The record-union., 1899-01-13
COST OF ELECTIONS.

Governor Gage declares IQaI II COSTS
$3.50 vote for every ballot cast in
this State at general election. This
is astounding information. It reveals
that we have cumbersome and most
disgraceful system Of ascertaining the
will of the people. The Record Union
was the first newspaper upon the Pa
cific Coast to advocate the adoption of
the Australian system of booth voting
and the uniform ballot. It adhered to
Its advocacy through opposition and
ridicule for ten years before 1t saw
realization of its hopes in the adoption
OF the present methods.
But the form Of the ballot is not what
we held it should be. We have always
stood for the party parallel column
never contemplated such output of
money to carry it on as is made In
California. Seven-tenths Of that cost
Is excessive In the first place one-half
the number Of officials could be dis
pensed with without detriment to pub
lie service provided competent men are
employed in the first instance. The
per diems are too large, are greater
than the men called to the service can
possibly earn In a similar capacity.
There is too much of printing, too
many form blanks and the like.
The system can be greatly simplifled
without stripping away any Of the safe
guards OF the ballot. Assuredly the
cost Of elections will be much reduced
by the injection of intelligence and
clerical capacity into the election
boards. But above all the introduction
of the voting machine will knock down
seven-tenths of the cost Of casting the
ballot at this time. It will eliminate
half the number Of election officials,
will render unnecessary three-fifths Of
the printing now unavoidable, the en-
tire cost for ballots and ballot paper
will be stricken off, and the days and
weeks of delay in counting at enor
nous cost will be saved, since with the
machine, the result of the balloting is
automatically recorded as it proceeds.
The recent disclosures Of attempts to
Ewindle the State by cornering upon a
particular machine and securing Its
adoption by bribery, deceit and chicane,
by no means reflects upon the auto
matte system. The value of a system IL
not touched by the fact that grand ras-
Gals seek to convert it's adoption to
their selfish and dishonest ends. If
job were put up to control all paper
manufacture in order to drive the
State into a corner concerning its bal
lot paper, and thus stand it up for coin
because Of it's necessity, it would not
be in evidence against the system of
printed ballots.
That dastards attempted to force
given voting machine upon the State
at heavy cost that their pockets might
be lined with plumber from the State
Treasury, is not a reason against all
use Of ballot machines. Three things are
now absolutely necessary-higher COM
potency in those who compose election
boards, reduction in the cost Of holding
the elections. and greater certainty and
celebrity in counting and announcing re-
suits, All these ends will be conserved
by the voting machine, because, first
there is less dependent upon the judg-
ment of the election official, and watch
fulness and integrity will be the chief
personal essentions; second, nearly the
entire cost for tally, ballot and other
clerks will be eliminated, and boards
Of but half the size Of those now en-
ployed can watch and guard the ma
chimes: third. the enormous cost Of
long and laundering tally counting,
which in itself opens the door to fraud,
will be avoided and the result of the
voting be known with the close~pf the
polls, and with all possibility of change
by fraudulent manipulation eliminated
from the election systems.