The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-03

John l.. Grifiths Reports Conditions
I'm Southern Indiana-Senator
Beveridge's Denial.


perience. to give a lucid explanation of the
amendments.
I'm the election this year each voter will
be entitled to vote four tickets said Sem
ator Hawkins. Including the one con-
tanning the constitutional amendments. The
State ballot is printed upon red paper and
contains the. names of the fifteen presi-
Dental electors and all of the candidates
for State offices. 1t is deposited in the red
ballot box. The local ticket which is print
ed upon white paper and which contains
the names Of the candidates for Congress
and all the county and legislative candi-
dates, is deposited in the white ballot box.
The ballots for the constitutional amend
ments are printed upon white paper and
they also are deposited in the white box.
The township ballots are printed upon yell
low paper and are deposited in the yellow
box.
''Our present election law, which is
known as the Australian ballot law, was
enacted in 1891. 1t has been amended sew
eral times since it was originally passed.
When the law was first enacted both
parties devoted a great deal of time in
the campaigns to the instruction of voters,
In order TO explain TO them the proper
method of marking their ballots. OF late
years, however, there has not been SO much
work of that kind done.
FOR NEW VOTERS.
"a large number of persons have become
voters in this State since the enactment
of this law who have probably taken very
little pains in informing themselves as to
its provisions. The result of this, together
with the amendments that have been made
to the law, has been to practically dis
franchise large number of voters by rea-
son of their ballots being thrown out be-
cause they were not marked in a proper
way to indicate the intention of the voter
and to comply with the law. This has oc-
Cured to such an extent that from reliable
estimates that have been made IL Is said
that per cent. of the total vote cast in
an election in this State is lost in this
manner OF course, it is impossible to esti-
mate or figure which party, If either, lost
the most votes by these defective ballots,
but ii is matter Of Importance, and very
great Importance, TO the voters that they
should understand how TO mark their bal
lots so that they will comply with the
law, indicate their choice and be counted.
1.-The law, as originally enacted. provided
that the name of the party should be
printed at the head of the ticket of the
party, with a square in front of IL, and also
provided for stamp 70 be furnlsned, with
which the voter should indicate his choice
by stamping the ticket, and 1t provided
further that if a voter stamped the square
to the left of the title Of the parry for
which he wished to vote that would indi-
cate that he desired TO vote the entire
ticket or what is known as straight
ticket
subsequently the law was amended. do
ing away with the square to the left of the
name of the party and providing for inclos-
ing in square the emblem of each party,
such as the rooster, eagle, etc, at the top
of each ticket. The amendment provided
that if voter desired to vote a straight
ticket he should stamp the square inclos-
ing the emblem-eagle, rooster, etc.
DOING AWAY WITH STAMP.
"At a later date the law was again
amended. doing away with the stamp en-
tirely and substituting therefor the blue
lead pencil. and also doing away with the
square inclosing the emblems and provid-
ing circle instead thereof. The latest
amendment provides that the voter shall
indicate his choice by a cross made with
the blue pencil upon his ballot and If
he desires to vote a straight ticket he can
indicate 1t by making cross with the
pencil within or the circle inclosing
the emblem of his party In other words,
If he desires to vote the straight Repub-
lcan ticket he can do so by marking the
cross in the circle inclosing the eagle. or
he could, If he preferred, not make any
mark In the circle inclosing the eagle but
mark a cross in the square TO the left of
the name OF each canu.uate for whom he
desires to vote.
''These changes in law" continued Sena-
tor Hawkins, seem 10 have had the effect
of increasing the number of defective bal
lots, and these ballots are voted by per-
sons who have paid no attention TO the
changes in the law or to the instructions
that have been printed and posted at the
election places, or to explanations and dis
cussions On the subject that have been had
in the press at each election. This is shown
first by the large number Of ballots that
have the square TO the left of the first
name upon the ticket marked and no other
squares marked, which indicates that the
voter supposed that by marking his ballot
in the first square he thereby voted the
straight ticket, as would have been the
case under the law as first enacted In
other words, the voter had learned how to
vote when the law was first enacted and
had paid no attention to the subject since
Second a large number of ballots appear
I'm which the voter, instead OF marking
cross with his pencil required by law
has simply made a dot with the pencil
thus undertaking 10 use the pencil as
stamp, which indicates that the voter had
learned to vote with a stamp and knew
nothing at all about the requirements of
the law with reference to the use of the
pencil.
WHAT INVESTIGATION SHOWS.
Investigation has shown that these mis-
takes do not occur entirely among the
unlettered or ignorant voters, but that the
most intelligent of our voting population
make such plumbers. They are the result
of negligence and carelessness on the part
Of the voter and his disregard OF the warn
ings and the explanations that have been
printed in all the newspapers previous TO
every election. The law provides that the
election board shall explain TO the voter,
if desired by him. the proper way TO mark
his ballot. but many voters seem 10 feel
that an inquiry OF that kind made TO the
board or to any one else would indicate
that he was ignorant of matters about
which he should be informed, and there
fore they ask 10 questions. and as a result
lose their vote. It is a very simple matter
for person L. pfCacate on his ballot the
way in which he ,iesires TO vote If he will
give IL any thought or attention.
IF he desires 20 vote a straight ticket
al that he needs To do Is 10 make with
the blue pencil furnished him I'm the booth
cross in the circle which incloses the en-
blem Of the party for which he desires TO
Republican ticket. all he needs TO 90 Is TO
mark a cross In the circle surrounding the
eagle upon each one OF the -four ballots tina,
are furnished him. If he does not desire 10
vote the straight ticket. then he must not
make any mark at all In the circle In
cross with the blue pencil in tn small