The Topeka state journal., 1909-03-01
new KIND BALLOT
House Passes Bill Making Radi-
cal Change in Election Law.
Candidates to Be Classified Ac-
cOrding to Office.
INDEPENDENT VOTER.
New Law Would BE to His Ad-
vantage.
Morgan Utilities Bill Is Up This
Afternoon.
INDEPENDENT VOTER

Only about so members OF the house
answered roll call this morning The
Morgan substitute for the admiuistIa-
tion utilities bill came up first for lis
position and was laid over by consent
until 3 O'Clock this evening for larger
attendance when it should be consider
ed
The Edwards election bill, the White
bill relating TO transportation rates and
the Morgan maximum freight rate bill
were under special orders this morning
and taken UP in turn
The title of the Edwards bill reads,
An act providing additional safe
guards for the protection Of elections"
but in reality it is calculated 10 pro-
mote independent voting It Is the most
radical change OF the ballot and the
method Of voting since the change to
the Australian ballot The bill passed
the house this morning by 4 vote of IS
to Is All the Democrats and most Of
the Republicans voted for the measure.
A call Of the house was necessary TO
get constitutional maj0rity, but this
was secured with but little time Of
trouble
This bill does away with the present
plan of the ballot used in a general
election where each party ticket Of all
candidates and the offices they aspire
r TO compose q column down the full
length OF the ballot The candidates Of
all political parties for each office are
punched together as in the case Of
primary election ballot: the mama of the
party Of each candidate appears after
his name and the Office he seeks The
voter marks in the square opposite he
name of the candidate he wants To vote
for He turns to the candidates for the
uext Office and does the same There IS
no longer any Republican or Democrat
&c column OF ticker On the ballot No
more voting the entire ticket with one
cross mark in the circle You must,
If the senate passes this bill. hereafter
mark a cross after the name of each
candidate for whom you desire 10 vote.
on must 90 clear through the ticket
reading over the names of all candf-
dates for all Offices and select your
choice The ballot is plain and the poll
tics and residence Of each candidate
appear after his name and the cauGff-
dates for each Office are grouped under
the heading Of that oftica in alphabet
cal order
This change in the ballot fnsures that
each citizen shah vote futeIugentIy as
an independent voter. that he must So
lect his candidate and party for each
Office on the ballot II is claimed that
this bill IL IL gets through the IegisIa-
ture and the governors Office. viii go
further towards shatteriag party Eres
than any bill that ever passed the leg
lSlaCure of any state.
However, it is expected that the SEN
ate viii prevent this revolution of the
old form Of voting by killing thu bill.
The following members voted against
the bill- Brighton. Crary. Cruu1iey, Hop
kins Of FIuney. Kyle, Laubaugh. Zen
man. Merrill Morris, Morton Of Clay
Phillips. Pyle, Reeder. Rhodes Of An
dersou, Rich. SchIichtiug ShfdeIer. Shoe
maker Watson. Westcott. Yoxau
When the bill was read this morning
the very unusual motion was made thaC
1t be laid on the table. The speaker
was in doubt as to the result Of the yea
Td n nr ha -rrT ion ezr-7
ed roll call The roll call deveIoped
the fact that only Is out of the so mem
bsrs present favored the motion. Ryan
OF Brown rose to remark that he never
before saw Is men who could vote as
loud as "a.
The bill by White of Ottawa relating
to transportation rates was passed BY
the house this morning The bill pro-
vides-that it shall be the duty Of the
board of railroad commissioners to re-
adjust and fix the rates of transporta-
uon within this state Oh all the pro
ducts OF this state named herein to
wit. Lumber. coal salt and all pro
ducts Of mines. wheat. grain and All
products thereof. sorghum, live stock.
broom corn, brick, sand, cement and
all building materials, hay and other
agricultural products, baIed straw and
products. alfalfa, meal apples and all
other fruits, potatoes and other vege-
tables. and all other articles and com
u1od1tfes in their raw or finished form,
according to the requirements Of this
AacL
NThat in fixing any rate OF trauspor-
t@gion on any OF the products named
in section I Of this act, the rate fixed
ordered or approved by the board OF
railroad commissioners shall not ex-
ceed. distance and service considered
the terminal rates which are now or
may be in effect on shipments destined
from points within the state to such
Missouri river terminals or other ter
rinaIs at or near the boundary Of this
state and the provisions of this act
shall apply to all joint rates fixed. or
dered or approved by said board of
railroad commissioners. or put into ef- |
feet by any railroad com pany in this |
state.
This act shall not be considered as l