The Washington herald., 1909-07-17
SEEKS SHORT BALLOT
Writer in the Outlook Points
Ont the Need.
COMPLEX ONE AIDS MACHINE
Richard s. Chuds Believes Fewer
Nominations for office Would Give
the Voters a Chance to Inquire
INTO the Worth Of Those Asking
Their VOtes-Must Play Politics.

Stating that the United states IS the
only habltually misgoverned democracy
and the only one 10 have a separate
class OF professional politicians. Richard
s. Childs in the outlook OF this week.
urges a drastic reduction in the number
Of elective officials IN cites. counties. and
states as means Of putting the peo-
pie "on top IN politics.
Starting from the obvious fact that the
average voter registers a personal Opin-
ion regarding the conspicuous nominees
only and has no opinion whatever 10
express regarding state treasurer, county
clerks. &c, the author urges that the
minor places should be filed BY appoint
ment
Fewer Names
This would result in a short ballot con-
tanning only a few names and the lime
light OF public scrutiny would focus upon
them so intensely that ali voters could
and would discriminate without having 10
"go into politics" TO get Their infoTma-
ton.
After tracing the connection between the
present typical long ballot and govern
ment by politicians the writer concludes
as follows:
I'VE cannot hope 20 raise the political
intelligence OF our citizenship % a level
where 81 viii scrutinize the long ballot
and cease 20 vote blindly on most OF it.
I The mountain VIII not come 20 Mahomet,
MahOmet then must 90 20 the mountain.
/ We must shorten the ballot TO d point
where the average man viii vote intel
l. TO- 81
attention than ne does AZ present That
means making IL short. for II il exceeds
| by even a little the retentive capacity Of
the average voters memory. the ''poiit-
ical specialist" Is created
Need for Simplicity.
"A voter could remember the relative
merits OF probably about FIVE sets OF
candidates. and could keep that many
I separate contests clear IN hts mind. bU;
he would probably beSin 10 vote blindly
4 on more than five. Also. we must take
ali unimportant Offices of the ballot
1 since the electorate viii not bother with
/ such uifles, whether the ballot be short
/ or not
why. indeed. should 1000 voters all bs
I asked 10 pause Tor even a few minutes
\ apiece 70 study the relative quaufca.
Y tions Of Smith and Jones for the pettl
/ post of county surveyor. An intelligent
citizen may properly have bigger busi
I ness.
"On a short ballot basis the entry O,
our best men into public lie becomes pos
Sible- To-day The retired business man
/ for instance, who IS willing Co devote hi.
trained mind and proved executive ability
10 the service OF his city finds II difficult
10 enter public life even as a humble a.
dermar.
"He cannot win as an independent. 10,
the voters do not distinguish his voice g
I the political hubbub. He must get hi
name on the ticket OF the dominant party
/ which can elect him regardless of whethe
he makes q fierce campaign or remains
silent on every issue in seeking this nom
nation. direct primaries help him lit
tie but in the confusion attending n
making Of nominations for a multitud
~ Offices he IS again unable 10 attrac
much attention. and the machine
1 swinging It's solid blocks OF well-drine,
voters 20 the support OF some loyal old
time pillar Of the organization is ukely
10 defeat him despite his manifest super
iOri1y Of character.