Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1910-01-14

Il great REDUCTION Ill the Cosl VI ciSS-
tricity. The has no place to
go for relief against any exactions,
inequalities or neglect. and a long suf-
fering public must submit and allow
all this to continue unless a commits
sion with ample power to protect and
relieve the people is created.
The Republican party in the state
platform on which the present govern
or was elected declared, I'VE pledge
ourselves to enact a law providing for
a commission with ample jurisdiction
and powers to enable it to regulate
public utility corporations effectively
and authoritatiyely." There is no am
biguity in this language. The platform
of the Democratic party was equally
clear.
There is absolutely no excuse for
not keeping this pledge, except that
the corporations to be regulated op-
pose it.
Whatever bill is enacted should pro-
vide for the consolidation of the pres
ent railroad commission with the new
commission created by it, and thus
the question of expense which has
been raised mot by the people, but by
the interested ones) would not avail
as an objection. Forty thousand dol
lars would owe the cost of this com
mission, and justice between the peo-
pie and the public serving corporations
would be assured. This is a small cost
for a contamination so greatly to be
desired.
The Primary Election Law.
The direct primary laws that exist
in our state are. in my opinion, popu-
lar with the people and when tested
further will be found to meet univer-
sal approval. Some notifications are
needed. Provision should be made for
al enrolment of party voters and for
the prevention of any voter of one
party from voting in the primary of
another. Chapter 2S1 of the laws of
1907, relative to the expression of a
choice for United States senator by
the voters of the respective parties,
will be operative this year for the first
time at the primary election. Under
this law the people of the state,
through their respective party primary
elections, will have opportunity to give
expression as to whom they favor to
represent the state in the United
States senate. l strongly favor
strengthening the present primary
laws and their extension to the nomi-
nation of member of congress and the
governor.
The Blanket Ballot.
I can see no reason for refusing to
allow the voter the right to vote a
straight ticket by simply placing a
cross in a circle at the head of a party
column on the ticket.
The essential thing is a form of bal
lot upon which shall be found all the
candidates of all the parties, SO that
each voter may have before him every
candidate for Office on a single piece Of
paper. These ballots should be fur
nished and distributed to the voters by
the state. me clerk of the county
should print the official ballot as at
present, and the election officers when
the last revision of the registry is com
pleted should be required to send to
each voter at his place of residence as
shown on the registry one copy of the
official ballot. The clerk should also
furnish to the election officers the
requisite number of ballots for use on
election day at the polling place.
No need should remain for the use
of money by candidates or parties on
election day. or before, in the matter
of getting the ballots into the hands OF
the voters.
The necessary stamped envelopes for
distributing the ballot should be sup
piled by the county to the election
boards, and reasonable compensation
should be paid the election officers for
doing the work.
Money at Elections.
The use of money at elections,
whether primary or general, should in
some way be curtailed. Every neces-
sary expense should be borne by the
state.
1t might be made permissible to per-
NIT each party to employ at each
polling district a challenger, a clerk to
keep check upon the vote and a mes
senger or two to send for negligent
voters. The amount that could be
thus expended should be fixed by law,
and 1t should be made a misdemeanor
to eXpend in any way other money
for any other ticket handlers or other
persons about the polls. The greatest
source Of indirect bribery is that now
prevalent of putting men on the poll
committee, so called. 1t is a mere
pretext for corruption.
The present criminal laws against
bribery at elections are clear and strin-
gent, but are not enforced. The rea-
son is that all the parties engage in
the improper, not to say the illegal,
use of money at elections, and grand
jurors will not indict. Prison penal
ties are apparently of no avail to check
this class of crime.
/ believe If the present laws for the
Imprisonment of persons convicted of
brihapv OF elections Vun1.a raOpa Ipd and