Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1910-02-24

responsible for the fact that English
cities are the best governed IN the
world.
Another result observable In Great
Britain OF this custom Of electing sol
few officers at one time is the COM
paratIve weakness Of the party ma
chine. Where the choice Of the vot-
er can be 90 directly and so easily
expressed there 10 no need Of a strong
political machine, nor Of the highly
organized party organizations we have
in this country. English experience
with the short ballot proves that Il
is. as ex-President Eliot pointed out,
a way to get rid Of the machine.
Political machines and party bosses
liz may be argued, are necessary and
natural outgrowths Of our elective
system, and cannot be eliminated. To
which the answer is made by the
short-ballot advocate: change the
elective system 80 that fewer elective
officers are chosen and eliminate the
necessity Of maintaining any interme-
diary between the voter and the can
didate. Then the boss evil and the
manchine incubus will go.
Right here to be met the objection
of that large majority Of the voters
who, however, much they may decry
the evils Of bossism and machine con-
troll of parties believe with all their
soul, that one Of the safeguards OF
our democratic system Of government
lies in the strength Of our political
parties. do away with the boss
yes" they cry, "but touch not our
sacred political party" Yet the
United States is not the only country
where a party system of government
prevails, and nowhere else is the
necessity felt of delegating such
wellnigh supreme power to an I'M
official body Of individuals. 1t IS
the party system carried to excess
not the basic idea Of party govern
ment, that is to blame for the exist
ling condition of affairs. 1t Is that
and nothing else that has given rise
to the demand for direct nominations
and all the other political instru-
ments of democracy, such as the ref
erundum and the recall, that is being
heard in every corner Of the land.
| 1t is worth while to recall that even
here in the United States we have not
always had the present "long" bal
lot. We began our history with a
short ballot. There was no preced-
emit for anything else, either in our
own colonial governments or in the
mother country. Nor was there any
: strong reason for 1t. In small COM
munitfes, where every one knows
: every one else, there was little reason
for close scrutiny or much publicity
or advertising Of the virtues Of the
several candidates. New Yorks first
: state Constitution, in 1777, provided
only for the election Of the Governor,
Lieutenant Governor, and members
of the Legislature by popular vote
; Mayors, sherlffs, county judges, and
; other county officers were chosen by
a council Of appointment, consisting
of the Governor and four Senators
elected by the Assembly. Virginia's
i first Constitution provided only for
the election Of members Of the State
: Legislature by popular vote; the Gov
: ernor was elected by the Legislature,
} and all other local officers were ap-
. pointed by the Governor or by the
: courts. Massachusetts, followed the
: plan Of New York in the election Of
Governor, Lieutenant-Go and
members OF the Legislature. The
more important state officers were
r chosen by the Legislature; others
as we'll as many local officers, were
appointed by the Governor. The
! earlier states carved out Of the old
: Northwest Territory followed this
: course in general, and as rule only
the Governor and legislators were
chosen by popular vote.
short BALLOT Of the Fathers.
1t was, in fact, well into the nine
teenth century before this condition
: of affairs was changed, and the move
ment away from the short ballot O.
+; the fathers. This tendency to make
practically every office, administra
tive and judicial, as well as execu
/: tive and legislative, an elective one
: was one of the manifestations Of thu
/: growth of the so-ealled JacksoniaI
democracy. When parties waxed il
strength and the spoils Of office be
i came, or seemed to become, a nee
r essary basis for party aggrandizemen
! Ut was part of the new plan to multi
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