Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-11-03
VOTE AGAINST 1T.
Biennial Elections VIII Not Cut Down
Election Expenses.


Election Expenses.
There is only one argument adj
vanced in favor OF the biennial election
viz, that it will cut down the expense
of elections, and even that argument
is wrong.
1t will not cut dawn the expense of
printing and counting but it will add
to that item of the election expenses.
If the state and tcounly officers are
elected only once in two years, then
the ticket will have to be twice as
large as it is now. it will contain twice
as many names and will take twice as
much paper as it does under the pres
ent system. A type form necessary to
print ticket two times as large as the
ticket that will be used this year,
would be such a bulky affair that the
printer would have to charge extra
for handling it. In fact there is not in
the city of Ottumwa, a printing press
large enough to print at one impression
a ticket two times as large as the one
that will be used in Wapello county
next Tuesday.
Any man who has worked through
the tiresome hours of the night count
ing ballots of the ordinary size, knows
that it gets very monotonous going up
and down the columns of the
Scratched ballots, and we ask that
man, what time during the next day
he would expect to get through if there
were twice as many names on the tick
cts? AS the progress of counting must
be slower with the big sheet than with
the small one, as it would be harder
to handle and the names twice as
many. it would require more than
double the time to complete the count,
or it would require more than double
the number of clerks and judges to
count the ballots in the same time as
is consumed under the present sys
tenn. Thus it will be seen that there
is no saving in this feature of the plan
and that the force must be at least
doubled in order to get the returns
complete before noon of the day fol
lowing the election.
Under the present system OF holding
elections in Iowa, there is more Of
Hess change in the county ant
state offices every year. Neve'
at the same time, are all the Offices
filled with men who are new and un
accustomed to the work to be done
and this insures efficient service tt
the taxpayers. Every year there arr
new men coming into Office, getting
accustomed to the work, checking VI
/ the books of their predecessors and oh
Waiting the formation of rings" TO
the purpose of graft" or the continue
ton in office.
The states where biennial elections
are held are the states where graft
fourishes. And graft" is general.
a bigger expense than elections.
AS an educational feature alone, tn
elections are worth much more tina
they cost to the state and to the ma
ton. The elections are the creates
educational feature within the reach o
the naturalized voter who makes thi
country his home after he has passe
the age to attend the public schoo
1t is through the conversation and Ii
erature attendant to the campaign
that he learns of the government an
of the duties and responsibilities {
citizenship. We have never yet me
a man who said he knew too muc
about these matters.
1t is certain that there is no natio
on earth where the prosperity of til
people is so dependent upon the polio
of the government as in these Unite
States. That being the case, then til
policy of the government should /
dictated by the highest Intelligent
and knowledge. In this county th
people are the government and the
should at all times be interested
the affairs of their government. Pc
pie take an interest and are concerne
in only those things with which the
are familiar or desire to become
miliar. If the number of election
is decreased one-half, then people b
come less familiar with them, lose i
terest in them and they will certainl
be dominated by men who will tai
advantage of this lack Of interest,
further their own ends at the expens
of good government. If all the peop
vote. we are certain to have good go