Norwich bulletin., 1911-08-16
:atives Dunn of Windham

Representatives Dunn of Windham | and Thoms of Waterbury told the house Tuesday morning about how the theelers and politicians used to to stunts with corruptible and thirsty voters under the old ballot law. IL was interesting, too. In commenting on what they had said, Judge Banks stated that while he was surprised 70 hear of the corruption that used to exist over in Windham, he felt that it had not operated against the sending to several sessions of the legislature of d very worthy product in the person of the gentleman from Windham
 'We don't want to go back to the days when politicians used to conc up to the polls with the long green
 between their fingers and offer a COW for a vote" said Representative Hutchinson of Essex in discussing the
 ballot law Tuesday. Tn the old days the elections were decided beforehand. Everybody came to the polls with a
 ticket in his vest pocket and slid in~o the booth without seeing anyone
 Supposing that Frank Jones, a re- publican candidate for Selectman, With his name printed at the head of the republican column on an Australian ballot, and George Smith, a demo- cratic candidate for selectman and heading his party ticket. are bo,h friends of yours. and you want to vote for both of them but you want to vote for. J ones, the republican, for first se- lectman how would you mark your ballot to indicate that you want to vote for Jones as first selectman? This proposition propounded to the house on Tuesday by MT. Isbell of Ansonia- proved about as easy as How old is Ann?" Some of the best lawyers in the house agreed that it couldn't be Ind Ta f tn 1a.a absolutely impossible under the present ballot law or as it was proposed to amend it. MT. Ispell of Ansonia offered an amendment clarifying the matter.
 A few Of the members of the house will not be seen at Hartford any more this session. which has become so long drawn out that the demands of the.r business will not longer allow them to attend to the business of the state.
 The democrats in the house were strong for the retention of the Ans tralian ballot system, which is really not the Australian system. but mod ification of it. The politicians claim. however, that democrats are aided by the system now in use. The majority of all the republicans and democrats from New London, Holland and Wind ham counties were in favor of the present law as amended.
 A resolution proposing an amend n1ent to the constitution concerning the election of state senators, for instance to allow each political party to nomi- nate 35 candidates and allow each eleetor to vote for. say. 20 of them, O.; to vote under cumulative system, as 20 votes for one candidate. 10 votes for each of two candidates. etc, was re- jected by the house Tuesday.
 
 All of the members of the legislature are to be invited to attend on Thurs day of next week the opening of the new bridge across the Connecticut river between the towns of Saybrook and Old Saybrook. Of course the leg islators all want to go: that is way the legislature is going to adjourn on Friday of next week instead of the d1y before. Incidentally, this legislature will make a new record for a session