New-York tribune., 1910-01-06


present constitution to achieve what -
really a short ballot. and those VINO IIlll
themselves to this effort neglect, IN my
judgment present opportunities so lar dS
this state is concerned
What Is practicable and helpful now
should not be ignored. In considering au-
visable changes or amendments of the law,
there may be noted
% The Form of the Ballot:
The defective form of the present paHQt
has lately had conspicuous illustration. II
became such monstrosity in the recenl
election in New York City as TO receive
welln.gh universal condemnation. The oai..
lot there presented to the voters was about
four feet wide and had nineteen columns
for city candidates. The name or one can.
didate for Mayor appeared eight times IN
as many separate columns; another Tour
times; while the names of five Candidates
for Mayor appeared but once. The names
of certain candidates for Conuoller anu
for President of the Board OF Aldermen oc-
times. The names of three candidates 1or
justices of the Supreme Court occurred Tour
times. and those of their prlnclpat COIL oni-
umn upon the ballot contained no nomlnd-
tions for the general city ticket. Whlle the
name of the candidate for Mayor asso-
ciated in the public mind with the name
and emblem of this party appeared In .s tne
eighth column. For example In the IOth
bly, District, in the County Of New York,
the ballot contained 1S4 names, although
there were only nineteen offices TO 9e niled
and only eighty-four separate candidates;
in addition, much space was wasted IN
blanks, and one party column contained no
nominations whatever.
The use under legal sanction. of such
unWieldly ballot with its absurd duplica-
tions, in the most important municipal cleo
ton held in this country, is such serious
reflection upon our capacity to devise suit
able election methods that we should
hasten. out of very shame. to make needed
correction.
This form of ballot is the outcome of
desire to favor party arrangements ana
straight voting. by providing separate
columns various parties
lively, which involves similar provision
for the ephemeral associations or 1nde-
pendent bodies which may spring up with
their emblems and candidates. 1t is plain
ly an unfair advantage for the same cam
didate to appear in several columns ana
in different combinations; nor should an
official ballot favor schemes to capture
party columns and emblems.
have repeatedly recommended the
adoption of simplified form of ballot in
which the names of the candidates for the
respective offices shall appear but once.
grouped under the names of the offices.
Party designations and emblemS may ap-
pear opposite the candidates name The
party work and what is fair for one party
Is fair for another. The party voter and
the independent voter should be on the
same roofing in the polling booth. 1t is OF
the highest Importance to the community
that the voter should be encoura ged TO
exercise care in his choice, and this will
be favored if he is required TO express his
preference separately in the case OF each
office. The large number of elective of
vote without discrimination. but we should
insist upon proper care and thus enforce
may be advisa BILE
(2) Corrupt Practices:
The law with respect to corrupt practices,
while not yet achieving all the results de-
sired. has proved to be of great benefit in
its requirements of publicity and account
ing. There should be a constant effort to
new the recommendation that provision
should be made for publicity as to all cam
that q reasonable limit should be placed
upon the number of those who may be
compensated as poll workers in any cleo
ton district
(3) Constitutional Amendment:
Our experience at the last election with
regard to the constitutional amendments
submitted for adoption shows lamentable
lack of sense of responsibility on the part
of our citizens with respect to changes in
be due to want of familiarity with the pro-
posals. And | again urge for your con-
sideration that appropriate means should
be devised to appr1se voters OF the nature
of amendments submitted. The delivery of
the text of the amendments at the time of
registration in districts where personal
registration is necessary. and suitable noti-
1Cation elsewhere. would be of no little
advantage.
DIRECT NOMINATIONS.
In my message last year I stated the rea-
sons which have led me to favor the adop-
tion of system by which party candi-
dates for elective offices shall be nominated
directly by the party voters 1t is unneces-
sary to repeat them. They are based upon
facts commonly known and upon the exist
ence OF evils which arguments cannot ex-
plain away and to the continuance of
which the people remain unreconciled. The
ordinary party member who cannot make
politics vocation feels that he is practi-
cally helpless. a victim of a system Of in
direct, complicated and pseudo representa-
tive activities which favor control by a few
and make party candidates to a great eX-
tent the virtual appolntees or party man.
ayers Party voters are largely out of
sympathy with their party organization be-
cause they believe that its powers are
abused and its purposes perverted.
Favortism in departments OF admins
tration, the non-use or misuse of super
visory powers. and the shaping or defeat
of legislation to protect particular concerns
or intereSts-in short, the degree of success
which has attended the efforts OF otIaos, those
mental authority to dominate the action OF
public officers, and to place and keep in
power those who will be amenabe to their
control-may be traced in large measure to
the methods which have been in vogue in
making party nominations. Through these
abuses not only has the general PUBLIC
suffered, but parties themselves have had
their efficiency impaired And even those
who have sought ably and honestly to di-
rect party affairs have, to some extent,
been involved in the disrepute which has
followed upon the manipulatlonS or the un-
y
autOcracy in party government Is opposed
to every proper interest.
Against the proposed change has been
urged the familiar argument that human
nature cannot he altered. But the present
system is not an essential part of human
nature Our keen appreciation of the fail
ings weaknesses and temptations which
must always be conspicuous in human
activity should not cause us to yield to the
counsel of despair, but should rather Stim-
ulate the effort to make every possible i'm
prOVement in the methods of political
ton. The fact that human nature cannot
be changed is no reason why we should not
provide safeguards against the play of its
intirmties.
1t should also be observed that while in
considering remedies we should avail our
pertinent must ultimately deal with
the facts of our own experience. Variant
conditions in the different states may be
useful for the purposes of general history,
but can afford slight help in the solution
of our own problems. Arguments derived
from opinions which are addressed to a
different state of facts or to measures not
analogous are of slight value
There is no matter of SraVer public con-
cern than the methods of party action.
Our officers of government are usually
those selected by one or the other of the
two great national parties. The constitu-
tion of the state expressly recognizes po-
itical parties. and contides, in equal rep
reSentatiOn. to such parties as cast the
highest and next highest number of votes
at general elections the discharge of the
important public duty of registering voters
distributing ballots to voters at the polls
and of receiving, recording and counting
the votes of electors. Political parties
which enjoy these privileges and oppor-