The morning journal-courier., 1908-11-12
LOCAL RALLoTING FRAUDS.


 LOCAL BALLoTING FRAUDS.
 Every upright citizen must realize the seriousness of the charges brought of vote-buyIng in Cheshire and else where in the state in the recent elec- ton, if true. Every upright citizen must recognize the necessity there al- ways is that such charges be aired to the full. The safety of every mans right of suffrage, our very govern ment, which Is founded upon the votes of the citizens, Is at stake. There are corrupt practice acts enacted through out the country and Incorporated in the law for tho express purpose of preventing or punishing just such un- derhand deals as these, The fact that these corrupt practice acts are but seldom put into actual operation should never deter those who have the proper evidence. The fact that an election court has never before been called in this state only empha- sized the fact that 1t is now high time that one should be called.
 That there were corrupt practices in Cheshire appears to be unmistakable. Let those who have the affidavits in their hands come before the super for court of the state, demand an election court, as is provided for in the law, and show their good citizen ship by ferrettng out the affair with all their zeal before such court And, if other instances of corrupt practices, as clearly violations of the law, are learned of by these or other investl- gators, let them, as true patriots, fol- low the course which lies plainly be- fore them, knowing well that in their sound and sincere endeavors they have the backing not only of the Journal-Courier but of every other paper in the state. There can he no doubt on that score.
 Every year 1t becomes more and more evident that something ia radi- cally wrong with our system of bal loting In Connecticut. The present system, for instance, has made 1t pos sible for certain men in Cheshire not only to "purchase" the votes of cer. tain laborers but 10 make sure thai the men they have subsidized voted as they were expected to. This wa' done by marking the ballots. The name of the only candidate for tho judge of the probate court wal scratched.
 Such a thing should be made i'm possible. Whether it can best h. made impossible by means of the vot ing machines or in some other wa, is a matter not at all concluslvel! decided One thing at least seem certain if the present paper ballot are to be retained and that is that th state election laws should provid that all ballots be printed by tho state instead of by any or all candidates, a Is the case now. Furthermore the law should provide that none of these bal lots go outside the voting booths This is the contention of tho Hartfort Times, in commenting upon in frauds unearthed in Cheshire, and w heartily agree. Says the Times ~ state which holds every man compe tent to work voting machine shoul assume that every man is competen to fix his own ballot inside tho voting booth. If this rule prevailed, ther would be far less chance of hxln things
 But such changes in the law ma be undertaken later, when the legis lature is in session. For the presen let the Cheshire charges be investi gated let the axe fall wherever ther is a head, whether there are preced ents for election courts in thls stat or in any state or not.