Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-12


he wants to vote other than a straight
ticket. to make his cross there, and he
can go in there with a vest pocket
fun of stickers, if he desires, and he
can put them over the names of any
candidate he desires not to vote for,
or he can write in the name. 1t is
easy; it is simple. But under this
Massachusetts system, as ] under
stand it. a man is barred from voting
straight ticket. In the first instance
our booths We're constructed so q man
could go in and mark his ballot back
to; ard hat vas rot secret enough
then the len'As we're constructed so
he went j., o., he back side and YOU
could 49, see ars- hing but his feet;
you could not tell whether they were
Republican feet or Democratic feet;
that was not enough; and now they
must go in and have the door fas-
tened behind them so that no one can
see them or any light get in there,
and the man may make his cross in
any place he sees fit. l expect by and
by they viii want this ballot so Sc
cret that we will have to go down
cellar to vote. Now 1 am opposed to
stated in the first instance, it makes
it much more difficult for a man to
vote straight party ticket, and
makes it easier for him to vote a
crooked ticket; makes it easier for
him to go in the booth and there help
the disintegration of a party; and for
that reason | oppose this change, and
support the motion of the gentleman
from Pressure Isle. tAppause.)
Mr.. KEHOE of Portland; Mr.. Speak
ef, ths is one of the most important
measures in my Judgment which we
shall be called upon to pass at this
session IF the Legislature I am very
sorry To be obliged to differ with M
friend. the gentleman from Presque
Isle (Mr. SMITH. l have the highes
regard for his ability as a lawyer anS
for his capacity as a statesman, bu'
this is one of those cases where W.
have to sink our personal views in thu
matter and represent the interests o
he people. | am party man. l believ
that The old fashioned ballot is goo
7nough for me, the open ballot tina
they used to have. where a man tool
his ballot and marked it and droppef
It into the box; but, gentlemen, if We
ire going to have a secret ballot, lie
US have a really secret ballot; let IL
have a ballot such as was intended
AIRY out the purposes of the seere
ballot
There is one thing that has not bee
touched upon. this morning, and that
in regard to what the people of tn
rf JaS he
say in their party platforms and j.
their conventions? Every party in tn
State of Maine has declared in fave
Of the Massachusetts, ballot That
the ballot they are considering, today
and no matter what our ideas may b
or what we would like to have person
ally. we are sent here to carry out tn
wishes of the people. We would hav
had the Massachusetts ballot year
ago if it had not heen that those VIII
were sent here to carry out the wishe
of the people came here and misrep
resented the wishes. of the people i
portunity. today, TO speak a word IL
behalf of really secret ballot.
Now. gentlemen, have had some ex
perience in connection with the prina
r;es at the last election. After the cleo
ton I found that in great many
the small towns. like the towns O.
Wlndham, New Gloucester and Gray
the voters were being misled by tn
primary system under Which YOU nav
to mark every name on the ballot; the,
went in and in some of the towns theI
followed the primary system anc
marked every name. on the ballot anc
didn't put any cross at the top, show
ing that they were mystified. You VII
either have to change your priilar!
system of voting and make one cross
or else change your election system
make it conform with the primary sys'
tenn. because there were as many votes
lost by the mixing up of the TWO sys
TENS as there were before by corrup-
ton.
F, But as I say, l believe the people O.
the state have settled this question II
their minds some time ago. we ar
sent down here to represent me popl,
in all parts Of the State, the people OF
all parties. and I am glad to have ar
onport,lnity to stand here and carr.
out my party platform. l unoers.dho
and believe it was IN the Repupilca'
nlatforrn and in the Progressive plat-
form to give a pure secret ballot d
ballot which, while you can express
your rarty preference. It forces tip
narties to nominate their very pes
mon We are all party men, ou'
want, the best men in our party 10 y.
nominated, and any man VINO caino
stand on his own individual hleii'
sho,ld he defeated / do not peheve ~
carving along a lot of eaowoou "
ca,,se there may be some gooo niei, az
the ticket. I believe this baiiot wan
force all parties to nominate tnelr oe ~
men. This ballot is in the ih'eieS. ~ =.
rood government, and / trust mat IL
Will pass. (Applause)
Mir. SANBORN of South ol '. sa,,a :
Mr. sneaker, I confess to having SOM
n,ono,nced convictions upon 'iie SUI
iacs under discussion at the pio1 W
ZINE NV short observation mere mo-
lead me to wonder whether III ans
event anything that is saio oii
eoor of this House really influences d
single vote. I think it is proper 70 u's
c,,ss this question from two e'ait
no,nts both of them having peen ~
nnOn alTtdoS