The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1900-07-26
DOES NOT DISFRANCHISE.

| The Free Press publishes the aInehu-
ments OF the last General Assembly
TO the election law under the follow
ing sensational caption: "Populists
Attention The Acts OF the last
General Assembly practically dis
franchises populi,ts, socis lists and
prohjbitioni~t9. The amendments
are set in italics and We suppose are
the Objectionable features that dis
franchises 30 many people. We pub
li-h them below with comments.
The section providing for nomina-
tions by petition is thus amended:
provided further. that said signers
shall declare in said certificate they
are bona fide supporters of the can
didate sought to be nominated and
have not aided and will not aid in
the nomination of any other candi-
date for the same office The inten-
ton OF such n law is to prevent
designing politicians from nominat
iug ii multiplicity of candidates for
the same office under different head
ing@ to the confusion OF the voters.
Ought a man or set of men be allow
ed to nominate a ticket they have no
intention OF supporting simply to
confuse and befuddle the voter? VIII
the Free Press point out wherein such
very proper protection OF the Off
cial ballot DISTINGUISHES any voter, or
how its workings will inure to the
benefit OF one political party over
another?
And here is another: "That no
central committee shall have the
power to substitute, to fill any va
cancy, the name OF any person who
is not known to be of the same polit
zeal belief and party as the person for
whom he Is substituted.
We saw the need of Just such a law
before the last election in this county
when the populist committee at
tempted to ill vacancies on the pop
uli-t ticket by nominating straight
republicans who were then running
for the same office on the republican
ticket, and, too, after the popuIist |
county convention had clearly |
instructed against such a course Is |
ii fair TO the honest voter of any |
party that committee be allowed |
to fill vacancies on their ticket with |
men whose political beliefs are oppOs-
ed to every principle and policy they
and who, il elected, would |
carry out entirely different and dis
tinct policies to what they advocate
and believe Is that amendment
DISTINGUISHING voters. or is it pro-
tecting them in their rights?
The third and last amendment to
which that paper refers is an amend
ment for the guidance of the secretary
Of state and county clerks in their
luties when two or more factions in
the same party seek to get their
nominees on the official ballot under
the party name. 1t provides that
preference be given to the convention
held at the time and place designated
n the call of the regularly constituted
party authorities. Would that be
DISTINGUISHING any voters?
Nearly, if not every state in the
Inion hold their elections under the
Australian system, as coming nearer
% giving full and free expression
If the electors.
And yet the editor of the Free Press
las rallied against it ever since its
adoption in this state. II the demo-
ratio party would enact into law
very wild and Impractical BILE theory
Atkeson has advocated in the past
wenty years, they would Immediate
Y become in his eyes blacker than ;
he shadows of hades. /