Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1906-01-24

the hotels that the move is one which
it is hoped will lead to the assurance
of Democratic support for the state
wide primary measure already before
the law-making body. 1t is well
known about the legislature tnat the
Democratic members, if not as a
whole, at least in majority of cases,
are opposed to any bill making the
primary system a state measure. 1t
is also well known that the same
members have for long time urged
with more or less earnestness the pas
sage Of law removing the circle
from the head of the official ballot.
Now the claim is made that for Demo
cratic votes on the primary bill the
Republicans who are interested in its
adoption will assure support on the
matter of ballot reform.
Objections to Circle.
The claims made against the plac-
ing of the circle at the head of the
official ballot have been that it pre-
vented the voter in many instances
from exercising his intention of vot-
ing a split ticket, because of the fear
that in splitting his vote he would in
validate his ballot entirely. Those
who have favored the retention of the
circle on the ballot heretofore have
argued that 1t was only means for
simplifying the method of voting, and
that where voter desired to cast his
ballot for either of the parties he
could do so by making only one mark,
a cross in the circle at the head of
the ticket which he favored, instead of
going to the trouble of marking the
cross in the square opposite the name
of each of the candidates on that
ticket. The original ballot law, and
one which was in force for four years
voting system in Iowa, made the meth
cd of voting much easier than it is at
present. Under the law then, IL a
voter desired to cast his ballot for the
Republican ticket, for instance, with
the exception of few candidates for
Offices on one or more of the other
tickets on the ballot, he could place
a cross in the circle at the head of
the Republican column, and then by
marking in the squares In front of
names on other tickets could also vote
for those candidates. The effect was
that the vote was counted for all can
didates on the Republican ticket ex-
cept those whose opponents on some
other ticket had crosses marked In
the squares preceding their names.
After short trial. as stated, this
feature of the ballot was changed and
the law at present is such that voter
who desires to split his ticket must
ignore the circle entirely and only
vote for such candidates as he favors
by marking the cross in the square
before each name.
Senator Smith, who introduced the
bill in the senate, says he is in earnest
in the matter and will urge its adop-
ton. He acknowledges the new meth.
cd may be taken as facilitating indie.
pendent voting, but maintains it will
be better than retaining the circle,
which is useless and unnecessary.
Initiative and Referendum.
An effort to establish the initiative
and referendum in Iowa Is under way.
The movement was started by the in
PRODUCTION OF joint resolution in the
house by Representative Lundt of
Tama county. The resolution pro.
vides that no measure shall become
the law of the state until 1t has been
passed upon and endorsed by the peo.
pie, with the exception that acts of
immediate importance, such as sup
port for the state government or at.