Daily Kennebec journal., 1911-03-16
MAINE LEGISLATURE.
confined from Page TwoIv"D

something III that mcSsag" about bal
lot reform that We had heard 50 much
about on the platform .id ON IL"
stump ana in tie Democratic press.
but ne WAS silent as tn" grave upon
that mdttcr III his ur"ss1Er II" missed
his opportunity: hr missed it, and h"
@aid nothing about h1tIef reform. Her"
IS my friend over hero. the gentleman
from EockIaud. thu editor ~ the ppiu-
ion, and the man via, Expresses hls
opinion in the Opinion, AMI he did mot
! like tho caucusinE nt th" Democrats
that turned down ballot rcl"rm that
was advocated in til, press ana on
the platform, and 81 my tri"nd from
I;nckland said III thu opioulon.
Til" lest form at ballor." says the
opinion. Is what is known aS the
Australian system. under which the
voter merely marks a ,ross against
the mann uf every ,tuitdlt" for whom
ne WislIcs tu vote. thr Harj' and poll
ties rt each candidate Nting rlcGrl%
printed aud conveniently arranged.
| one can scarcely spuit 70 ballot like
that If F." tries. Il works To perrcr-
ton in very country Wh"r" II was
ever tried, and in ne country "l prov
| lnce whore il has h""u tried has II
| c"er been proposed L. change II. our
| people ar" as familiar With this bal
lot az with their OWL This was W hat
the l,poPl, demanded IA Il, first place,
the opinion deeIar,az, hut the politl-
cians gay,s them something different
in what II calls TIN I."broS law nj
| though tin law as#.Ns advocated by
Mr.. Lponev has ben the Massachu-
setts law. md when sonething bcttet
Was dtuauded. the responded Witu
| the present Clasun IaW, und.r which.
| says tn" opinion. - ,iISandS Of Vut's
| are lost ,ich eleCtiou ana voting Is
made Is difficult SIS possible unless
one yields to the boss and votes a
| straight ticket. Tia people have nor
changed their mind Thy Want the
| Australian ballot. sam" as MasSachu
setts has. They expected to get II
| from tins Legislature and if theE
do rot they Will by and bz elect Il
! Legjslatu ture that VIII give 1t to them"
That Is IIght. tAppausep
| The Democratic press OF the state of
Maine. as said. WAS = Unlt tor it before
| election. and chie. among those papers
stands the Watervilc sentinel the paper
of the secretary Of State Now that pa
per was not satisfied witt, the Democrat
il caucusiHg against tins ballot reform
and the sentinel OF February ,. only Lass
| month. ia one of its issues said
The Maine ballot Is monstrostty. l.
WAS conceived in evii, has been perpetual
ed by boss rule. and it IS high time for
| it to he reformed consistently with reason
AMI justice just a. man has q right
To vote 80 should therr be ample pro-
| vision made for free exercise OF the
| franchise With our present ballot in
| force. augmented IN the structures de-
| creed bv the supreme court. the privilege
of voting is about as easy and safe as is
ii bllzz-sa,y."
And aISo in th, iS>t,.z- nr February n the
| Sentinel said:
IF the Democrat. I.ecisl.tnrc nay in
session UrgIeets to ,,Tt info effect ballot
,.of,,, win -. r.,,,i.s :, -. d.. -.
,b, n,,htfr 1so,1.,rju,. y,,ch , ref,,..,I tn
do,,,, from tIc 49, of .,andnaf -
n,,hIic,,i,, vim a,,,o -, ..,.,..,,n,f,,,. ,.f
,,s,''l,s,,,i'. .',...,. ,,.;,, -, ,.,s,
~. f,,,,,,,,..', ,,...,.,t... -,
| -,
..,,,l plop. ','.' ~, @" ~
.,'.'
,''' 10 '''''''' - IN
| u ''' - " 20 mo '''
I"'U'o 9"o"'' rise u 'Ir Importance o'
.''' o'c'sion Gnu CIV Nlai'ic No'erS Il
ioini ol pa'I't consistent Win reason ana
justice '4si
The independent voter ana the hon
est voter when he was deprived OF his
| honest vote by tn" present ballot which
SAYS YOU must vote straight ballot
| or YOU are going to lose your ballot
| latttnntCn