Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-02-11
LET THE CIRCLE STAY OUT.

1t has seemed necessary to Des
Moines newspaper to make 1t repeat
edly clear that it is the present gov
ernor and not Governor Garst who
recommended restoring the circle to the
ballot The distinction is Characters
tic. 1t establishes the difference be-
tween craftsmanship and political eX-
pediency for the demand for a return
of the circle to the ballot Is born OF
expediency rather than of far-sighted-
ness as to what should be wise policy
for all time to come. 1t is predicateo
wholly upon the fact that in the last
election some ballots were spoiled by
marking cross in front of the name
of a candidate for president.
A ballot which calls upon the voter
to mark the name of each and every
candidate for whom he wishes to vote
is the simples. and plainest form to
which a ballot can be reduced. 1t Is
the form which the child uses in elect
ing a president of his class at school
1t is the form used in every social or
ganization, mass meeting or lodge. Ii
is the form used in the primary cleo
tions when nominating candidates
which elections occur a few months
ahead of each general election, hence
any change in the ballot at a general
election to make it any different from
primary election ballot will only
serve to- make confusion perpetual
There can never be any circle on a pri-
mary ballot and should never be on any
other ballot
The trouble all comes in presidential
years when the voter thinks he can
vote for president while the law grants
him only privilege to vote for cleo
tors who can vote for president. If it
could be provided thet a mark in the
square before the name of a president
ial candidate would be counted for all
the electors of that political party or il
the name of the presidential candidate
could be omitted from the list of cam
didates on the ballot and descriptive
line substituted to convey the intelli-
gence that to vote for Taft the ballot
must be cast for all of the following list
Of electors there would be no more
trouble with the ballot. If the present
elector system should prevail to the
year 1000 the average voter would still
think he was going to vote directly for
a president and it is trick and a de-
ception TO print the name of a presi-
Dental candidate on a ballot in the
same type and form as the names of
other candidates are printed. What is
needed is to remove this trick from the
ballot and there will be no need Of a
circle.
The circle is merely a herder's whip
to corral the unintelligent voter 1t casts
the ballot of d voter for candidates
whom he knows nothing about and
cares less. The plea of the candidate on
the tail end of ticket that he is en-
titled to the full party vote is a hol-
low one. He Is entitled only to an even
chance with his opponents. If he per-
sonally is unable to attract the atten-
ton and support Of members of his
own party he should be content with
what he gets. The vote cast for him
blindly by reason Of the blanket ballot
with circle Is a vote cast without in
telligence, it is a vote that will con-
tribute nothing to good government
On the other hand a circle on a ballot
often permits the party herders to land
on unworthy candidate in office by
reason of the blind party vote counted
for him, but never cast for him by the
voter. TO restore the circle would COM
plicate the ballot and take a step back
ward 1t is unworthy of the present leg
islature to even consider II.