The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-07-26
VIVA vocE VOTING.

VIVA vOCE VOTING.
The Brunswick Gazette reproduces soms
remarks OF ours concerning the/ opera
ION Of the viva voce system OF Tos-
in the recent Congressional primaries
Z, the Fourth District, and agreed that
10 alnles view is correct Inc Ca
geae goes further and admits that. While
OF one time twas very strongly in Ia
vor of this system Of voting as the only
effective means SO far as 1t was ao,e
to discover of putting an end to the prac-
tice OF stealing votes and stuffinG bal
lot-boxes. observation and practical ex-
nasjence have served to demonstrate TO
fts satisfaction that there are resulting
evils which are but little less objec-
uonable than those which it was sought
to remedy.
There are so many extraneous in
Huences that can be brought TO bear upon
the voter under the viva voce system
to control his action. concludes our con-
temporary, and which in every heated
contest will be exercised by one side or
the other or both. that we have been
reluctantly compelled to change the opin-
ion to which we long and tenaciously
chung, and to come to that always held
and insisted on by The Times. We do
not think the viva yoce method under
which the recent primary was held is
wholly responsible for the small vote
polled, but that it exercised a very po-
tent influence in keeping the sovereigns
from the polls is unquesdonably true
The exceedingly warm weather and the
{l,o, = for oil h1ICv ha6
much to do with the small vote in the
rural districts, but the cause assigned
by The Times operated more generally
than any other to keep .ue voters at
home
There is an underlying principle here.
which must be kept constantly in view
in considering this all-important matter.
The purpose of ans election is to ascer-
tain the true sentiment OF a community
on issues involved and that system Of
voting which comes nearest to securing
the true and unprejudiced and untram-
mcIied sentiment of the voters on .ts
face the best system of voting. There
can be no two opinions as to this and
there can be no sort Of doubt that the
secret ballot is the best and surest means
TO that end. When a voter goes into
private booth and prepares ballot to
his own liking, without the knowledge
or interference or suggestion of any 9th
er, it goes without saying that he is
in the most fortunate position to express
his choice Of measures or candidates, as
the case may be. He may then and
there prepare his ballot to his liking.
He may fold it up and deposit it in the
box. and no living man may know then
or thereafter how he has voted. If un-
der those circumstances voter does not
vote exactly as he pleases we do not
know why.
For our part, we believe that every
voter has the right to such secrecy. Some
may not desire it, many do not desire
it, but as many as desire it have the
right to it. We believe that qualified
voter is as much entitled to a secret
ballot as he is entitled to a private
and secret opinion. But be that as ii
may. it IS perfectly clear, as we have
pointed out, that the secret ballot is the
best means Of ascertaining the true SEN
timent OF voter and of all voters, and
therefore it is the model method of vot-
ing.
The objections to the secret ballot lie
wholly beyond. They have to do entire
ly with the manner and method Of re-
ceiving and returning the vote. In other
words, the main objection to the secret
ballot is that it gives to dishonest judges
of election the opportunity to tamper
with ballots. to stuff the ballot-box or
to make false count and return.
It is not necessary to say that this
paper is as much opposed as any to
ballot box stuffing and to all manner Of
frauds in election. But we submit that
the remedy is to be found, if found at
all, not in the method Of preparing and
casting the ballot, but in the manner of
returning it. The fault is In the room
where the ballots are received. and not
In the booths where the ballots are pre-