The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-06-02
FOR AUSTRALIAN BALLOT.
It's Use In State Convention Urged
BY NJ. j. hapgOOd.


Following is copy or a letter sent
to the Rutland Herald by M. j. Hap
good, of Peru.
To the Editor of the Rutland Herald:
AS Mr.. Batchelder, in a personal
letter, gives his free consent to the
adoption of the Australian form of
ballot in the coming State Conven-
| ton, if the convention so ORDERS"
sincerely trust that you will urge, and
! If necessary, demand that the candi-
date which you, in a measure, repre-
sent, Will, also, express his approval
to the proposed measure. | believe
that it would much injure not only
! to the honor and reputation of the
candidates consenting but, also, to the
honor and reputation of the State at
large which should be our chief con-
Germ. Besides with DR.. Meads con-
sent, it would preclude any contest
in the convention upon the matter
No argument can possibly be brought
against the use of the Australian form
of ballot in the coming State Conven-
ton, where our next Governor is
supposed, as a matter of fact, to be
really elected, that will not apply to
any regular election conceivable. And
the only inference that can be drawn
is that any candidate refusing his
consent desires to retain the privilege
heretofore given of having his lieuten-
ants watch" the way any promised
supporters cast their ballots. In fact,
no open argument has, as yet, been
brought against it.
Is DR.. Mead willing to deliberately
take the position, not only of refus-
ing to file an account of his expenses,
sworn to or not, but also of with
holding consent to the use of the
Australian form of ballot in the con-
vention, either with or without booths?
And this, too, in the face of the fact
that the other four candidates desire
it.
Allow me to add that my main OBJ
ject, from the very start in entering
the campaign was to use the additional
advantage thereby gained in securing
the adoption Of these two measures,
filing an account of expenses by each
of the candidates. and the use of the
Australian form of ballot in the con-
vention. AS to personal support, it
is entirely OF secondary Importance,
as | am working for principle. And
prefer to leave it to the good sense
of the delegates at the time of the
convention, after they have become
fully informed of the situation. l
should much prefer as my supporters
delegates who were elected as repre-
sentative citizens, perfectly free to
act as they thought best up to the
time that they cast their ballots And
the form of ballot that will best en-
courage that kind of voting is the
form of ballot we want. The pre-
| ferences' at a caucus | desire in Or
der.
With this form or ballot, full OPP
portunity is given for a delegate to
vote for any person, whether he has
been nominated or not And, as a
rule, you will find that it is the
"heelers" and the wire pullers" who
will oppose it, they who are afraid
that all of their secret work and in
| f1uence will only count against them.
! If our State is to be governed by
influences that oppose the publicity
of campaign expenses and the use OF
form of ballot that Will give perfect
freedom to the voters, then Gold help
the State of Vermont
NJ. J. HAPGOOD.
Peru. VT, May q, 1910.