The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-01-07
TO STOP FUSION.
New Republican Election Law is
so Designed.
Name Can Appear But Once on
the Ballot.
CHANGE THE BOARDS.
Now FusiOnists Are Given the
Majority.
New Plan Puts the Republicans
In Control.
Bill to Be Pushed as Straight
Party Measure.
CHANGE THE BOARDS.

Every Republican member of the leg
islature thinks that the election laws
should be changed and as they are all of
one opinion and are in the majority
there is little doubt but that they will
be changed.
Several members came to Topeka with
bills in their pockets which were drawn
up with the end in view that the law
should be changed but when they arrived
here they found that the men who are
running the party in Kansas had pre-
pared for the same thing. so the bills
brought by the individual members win
not be introduced but a bill which is a
straight party measure covering all the
points will be introduced and passed
among the very first.
The Republicans are anxious that
fusion should be killed in so far as they
can kill it and they also want the cleo
ton law changed so that the fuSiOniStS
will not have a majority of the mem
berS on the election boards The bill
will cover both these points and put the
elections in the hands of the Repubh-
cans as far as can be done legally
Under the present law the Democrats,
Populists, Silver Republicans and any
other political organization that is SO
minded can nominate the same men and
their names will go on the ticket as
many times as they are nominated by
the different parties. The Republicans
see in this a disadvantage to themselves,
Gratis who would not vote for a man on
the Populist ticket but would vote for
him if his name was in the Democratic
column. The law will provide that a
name can appear on the ballot but once.
If the three minority parties desire to
fuse they will have to come under one
head on the ballot
Another feature of the law will be
that the judges of elections can no long
er be given to the opposition as is the
case now. The law will provide that the
4rDrss+ int
the minority party one and the mayor
Of the city or the township trustee the
third. This they claim will be a fair
method as the party in power In the
ward or township will have a majority
on the election board.
Another change lin the election law
which will be proposed will be a change
in the ballot which will allow a voter
who desires to vote the straight ticket
to draw a cross in circle which will
be printed under the heading of each
ticket. This will mean that he votes
for every man under that head and will
do away with the necessity of marking
the cross after each name as is now re-
quired-
election law in New York. in fact, the
entire bill will be modelled after the
New York law. The matter has been
referred to the senate committee on
elections and they have got the matter
in shape after a conference with the
state officers. Senator Pestana is the
chairman OF the committee ana senator
Fitzpatrick is a member of the COM
mittee. These two are the only mem
bers here but they have taken the mat
ter up and are now preparing the bill
There are a few other minor details in
the bill which may be changed before it
is presented, but those mentioned are
the important ones
This is the only party measure which
is now being talked of and is the only
one which the state central committee
is back Of
Senator Pestana and Mort Albaugh
are the men who are looking after the
bill and the present state officers are
making themselves a part OF the COM
mittee to see that it is all right and that
1t will cover the ground.