The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1913-02-08
THE PREFEREN-
T|Al BALLOT.

/ The preferential ballot was ~
cornorated into our charter for the
good Of the city. as well as fo' TIE
GOOD OF the voters. u operates I"
I Iesseu the bitterness OF the cam.
paign The friends If A. u. Ion
A.. instance desire to retain Tor thel'
candidate the goodwill 81 those
tavo,ing G.. ID or other candidates.
thereby preserving the chance ~
gaining their 2nd choice votes Tor
"A. Is They naturally refrain
f,,m circulating campaign talse
hoods concerning opposing ranhl
dates since il il not good politics
to ALLEVIATE voters.
Another improvement brought
/ about 10y the preferential ballot ~
The elimination Of the primary and
second primary. Heretofore, two,
aud often three, elections were ne
cessary to The choice Of our oil
cials This greatly extended M"
campaign and gave much ~
creased opportunity for corrupt
combinations and for trades, with
consequent resentment and 'llftel
ing on the part of those who con
sidered themselves betrayed.
These unfortunate conditions were
Of not inf,tquent occurrence III
our politics. consequently. our
people have suffered greatly from
the bitterness of past municipal
elections. These have repeatedly
divided them INTO hostile camps
and made IL much more difficult
TO secure that unity OF action
which u 20 necessary III urging a
city forward.
The preferential ballot should
therefore be welcomed in good
faith by our citizens, since I, OF
fers relief from conditions so &c
rim-utaI to the city's unity and
growth. 1t is our duty TO New
iberia, and to ourselves, to aid IN
ID making the new plan a sncc' ~ III
order that it may the more full,
bring about such much desired be
ne6ts.
Hence, q word Of caution to our
voters. No one should be request
ed 60 pledge himself not to vote
for a second aud a third choice for
any office, nor should one give the
pledge II asked. For if all should
give such a pledge and keep il we
would have no preferential ballot
and all the divisions and bitter
ness Of past campaigns would
again recur. No one should lend
himself to a schemf of which the
results would I've 80 deplOrable Tu
al good citizens the welfare OF
the public in this matter should
be considered rather than the in
terest Of any individual.
Indeed, no pledge to do wrong
can be binding on the person
making it, For If wrong to make
the pledge, the carrying II into tx.
I ecutiom is yet worse, since it adds
wrong to wrong; which no one
should do. Now, it in the duty OF
every citizen to use his ballo; for
the best interest Of the CITY, and
Il pledge to vote for If first choice
only, and thus to join IN attempt
, ing to defeat the workings Of the
, preferential ballot, and to revive
the old condition Of political tur
moil and strife IN our City, is II
work = real injury to our commu
,ity--a wrong IN which no goot
citizen should take part.
IN tue present campaign, 50 fal
. ~ the writer knows, this IL no
icing done, or if 40. probabl,
ieithe- thOs" who asked, nor thOs,
'ho gave such pledges, had the re
hottest idea that in 10 doing the,
!, we're affecting injuriously the in
; 'erests Of our people No crit
I c'sm ct what may heretofore hav,
been done would therefore he jus
! Or IL intended. That it will no
, ''e done hereafter ia well nigh cel
tain, since no one should willfull
y assist in bringing back the evi
), results Of past campaigns.
ri However, should such a praC
+ tice obtain in the future, and h
veil authenticated, the writer sug
! gests that the friends Of the prt
ferpntlal hallOt-and Of New LII,
ia organize for the purpose Q
|. h,edg,nx thpmselves-not to cas-
their votes for any special cand
n dates--but only to 40 vote and us
- heir influence a. will best d..
, courage the obtaining Of sue
: pledges.