New-York tribune., 1904-10-30

threw into the same box a white ball not
pierced There was a small majority of black balls
and thus he was doomed to die. At the present
time in club elections the same simple method is
often used. and defeated candidate is styled
having been 'blackballed." This way of voting was
probably one Of the earliest attempts to secure
secrecy.
The Romans had some interesting modes OF vot-
ing. When law submitted the people to
ratify or reject each citizen received two small,
square. smooth pieces of wood called tabelle, or
tablets. On one Of these written the letter A.
which stood for 'Antiquo"-"I reject" On the
other two letters. L. r., which stood for 'JTti
rogas. part of the Latin sentence, Ego hanc legem
ut rogas Jubendam censeo'-'I think that this law
should be ratified as you propose"-Or, in other
words, Let 1t pass. One Of these tablets the voter
put into large bronze urn provided for the pur-
pose, which he could do secretly if he wished. The
question was decided by a majority Of the votes.
In similar manner the judges in a court of Justice
gave their decisions, after hearing the testimony.
To each judge was given three tablets. marked
A waich meant 'Absolvo," i acquit'; another was
marked c, which meant "Condemno,' - Il condemn; :;
the third was marked n. L., standing for Non
hQuet" that IS. 1t does not appear" meaning II
am in doubt" With these tablets the judges voted
and when the votes were all in if there was a
plurality of Absolvos, the accused was set free II
the Condemnos prevailed he was condemned II the
Non Lquets had it, it was about equivalent TO a
disagreement Of the jury. The object of all these
simple eNpedients was 10 give the voter perfect
freedom by making his vote secret
But at very early period INSCRIPTIONS poll
ucians found means both TO intmidate and bribe
the voters. Long the trial of Socrates. B. c.
5sS voters We're bribed in what the Greeks STYLED
dekads. or tens. Greek students. turning to their
dictionaries, Will find in composition with the word
'deka' which means ten, a number OF verbs
nouns and adjeCtives which tell melancholy story
of Grecian politics. for they in~cate that bribinr
voters ten in a lump quite familiar to tn.
Athenians II is to be feared that corrupt voting
Is almost as ancient a practice as voting itself
This may be inferred from a considerable number
OF ancient methods for preventing fraud. In some
countries of Southern Europe instead of voting nv,
shells, leaves or tablets, which could be concealed
about the person In great numbers and put into tba
urn surreputiousy, the voters required TO use
Wands or rods five six feet long These were
ue!pslted IN long box through small slit In the
lid. As no man could conceal stick six feet long
the voters were prevented from casting more than
vote.
Even at the present day the people in Greece vote
with black balls and white balls, as their fore
fathers did. although with special precautions
against bribery and fraud. The duty of voting is
invested with solemnity by opening the polls in the
churches and on Sunday Entering the edifce, the
voter sees before the altar many boxes as there
are candidates to be voted for each box being
divided into two compartments. one painted black
and the other white. 4 clerk comes to him with
wooden bowl full Of bullets. from which the voter
Is given many bullets there are candidates
To conceal from the bystauder how he votes the
elector thrusts his hand down a long funnel and
Urops one bullet into each box. II hs wishes to
vote Yes ne puts his bullet into the white half
of the box If No. he puts it into the black half
In order to protect the freedom the papaI cleo
tons and to put an end to the scandaous disorder
which frequently accompanied them. Pope Nicholas
II decreed IN 1853 that future the election OF the
Roman Pontn and the administration OF his see
during the vacancy should be the exclusive right of
the cardinals of the Roman Church In 1l7s Pope
Alexander III solemn!y confirmed the decree OF
Nicholas which pre- scribed that a tvo-th!rds vote
should be necessary 10 valid choice. Meanwhile
no statute existed compelling the cardinals 10
secuaton while they performed their duty as cleo
tors. Honorius III was elected two days after the
death of his predecessor in Consequence OF the
strict secusion 10 which the cardinals then sub
mltted While Gregory x chosen only after a
vacancy Of two years and nine months. because the
electors Were not shut up. These two extreme
cases induced Gregory y. IN 1914 during the Coun-
ell at Lyons. 10 decree a strict scclusion thence
forward. Pope Gregory Nv decreed that the car
dinals in concave should vote by secret ballot
Papers OF uniform size, texture and color are dis
tribued 10 the cardinals. They are folded In such
a manner that the part on which each eector
writes his name cannot be opened while that on
which he writes the maine of his candidate can
The ticket Is then folded closed with sealing wax
ana stamped with the common seal OF the con
caVe The elector then. kneeng. takes the solemn
oath prescribed. and deposits his vote In chaIIce
placed on the altar The votes OF such as are de-
talned by Sickness IN their cells are taken with
every precaution ard forrnality
The paper ballot In this country was FIRST used in
lGi2 10 get out OF Office Governor John Nlnthrop
who had become unpopular Tie party opposed to
winthrop were confident Of a majority II the peo-
Sse could vote without fear. To this end the FREQ