New-York tribune., 1905-11-14
BALLOT CRUSADE GAINS.
Plan FOR CONTENTION.
Prepdrations to Present Strong
Front Before Legislature.

Like huge SNOWFALL rolling down mountain
side, growing with every bound ana satherlng
momentum every minute the crusade for ballot
reform is rolling Greater New-fork, and
even the upstate communities are joining IN
the cry The most important meeting on the
subject yesterday was that of the JOINT oaIot
reform committee composed of delegates from
various reform clubs and members from Bing-
hamton, Buffalo and Auburn. The committee
decided TO present a reform ballot 10 the next
legislature; to use every means at its command
to obtain its passage and to send committee
TO confer with the corrupt practices committee
at meeting which will be held tomorrow in
the office of John G. agar, No. 81 Nassau-st
IL is likely that the end of the week will bring
a call for a general convention of all organza-
tions interested in ballot reform. Although both
the Citizens Union and the City Club are repre-
sented in the joint ballot reform committee,
they have appointed special committees On
Wednesday there will be a meeting of the City
Club to decide just what should be done. A con-
ference called al this time would meet with
ready response, and friends of reform declare
that such d conference is necessary for con-
centrated effort.
The meeting of the joint ballot reform COM
mittee was held at the office of the chairman,
ex-Justice William n. Cohen, No. % William ST.
Ainsley Wilcox representing Buffalo; Thomas
Nj. Osborne. of Auburn, and Mr. kitchener. of
Binghamton, the out of town members
present represented by letter.
The first resolution unanimously passed was
that the ballot reform bill introduced by Sena-
tor Elsberg in 1902 and again in 1908 be
brought up to date and again put before the
legislature. The ballot suggested is a Massa-
chusetts form, the candidates being grouped ac-
cording to office with the addition of party SYM
boIs- A committee. consisting of Judge Cohen,
John De Witt Warner and V. Everit Macy. was
instructed to make the changes required by the
recent amendments TO the Election law. sam
pie ballot of the sort which the committee
favors was published exclusively in The Tribune
Monday.
we want it distinctly understood, said Judge
Cohen last evening, that a new ballot is the
main issue I We must make it easy for the
voter to split TO vote straight. We are not
overlooking the proposition of voting machines,
but if we find that they will cloud the main is
sue they will be dropped
Secretary veiller of the City Club said yes
terday that his organization had been the first
to take up the subject of ballot reform. He
summed up the desira BE features of a simple
and safe ballot follows;
Each candidate should be on an equality with
every other candidate for the same office. Off
GERS charged with printing the ballots should be
able easily to determine the arrangement or the
balIot-for instance. by alphabetical oro.r. The
probability of error by the voter in marking his
ballot should be reduced to a minimum: 1t
should be as difficult possible for voter to
make any Identification mark his ballot.
New-York has never had ballot which made
1t impossible for a bribed voter to show that he
had voted as he promised. So simple should the
ballot be that il could be counted with speed
and accuracy. 1t should provide against oppor-
tunity for fraud in the canvass Election Off
Gals are not inclined to count separate crosses
for independents, and fraud results. Symbols
should be done away with. for illiterate
voter should learn by sight the name of his
party candidate as easily the symbol The
ballot should be constitutional The present
party column contraVeneS the spirit of the
constitutional provision separating municipal
from national and State elections.
Senator Elsberg, to whom the joint ballot
reform committee purposes to trust the intro
duction of It's bill, declared his willingness
yesterday to bring the subject before the legis-
lature again He declared that the last election
had thoroughly demonstrated the defects OF the
present form of ballot.