Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-03-01
THE SHORT BALLOT IN NEW YORK

THE SHORT BALLOT IN NEW YORK
The progressive party has issued an
omcial statement of it's proposal for
'short ballot in the state of New
York. in fulfillment Of a plank in the
platform adopted at it's state conven-
ton in Syracuse. The statement de-
clares that "the most obvious method
Of shortening the ballot and centering
administrative responsibility in New
York state, is to cut the minor Offices
of the state ticket, leaving only the
governor and lieutenant governor, and
give the governor power to appoint his
cabinet" Accordingly a resolution
for a constitutional amendment has
been introduced in the New York SEN
ate which provides that the governor
shall be charged with the duty of ap-
pointing the secretary Of state, state
treasurer, attorney general. comptro-
Ter and state engineer and surveyor
In the oficial statement issued by the
party the proposal for the short bal
lot" Is based on two grounds which are
set forth as follows: ill.,.
1. It is denial of popular rule to
have so great number of Offices to be
filled at a typical election as to make
it hard for the people to scrutinize the
candidates for every Office closely
enough to make an intelligent choice.
2. It is a denial Of popular rule to
have a governmental organization so
disjointed as to be practically incapa-
bic Of promptly, harmoniously and ef-
ficiently obeying the popular man
dates.
Continuing the statement says:
Tho test of actual practice under
tie present state constitution discloses
that the New York ballots, which
carry from q dozen to twenty-five Of
fcers, are too long and result in maxi
ing the citizens politically ineffective.
This may be discovered by any aver
age voter for himself if he will ask
himself, Whom did vote for for sec
rotary Of state? state treasurer? at
torney general? comptroller? state
engineer anu Surveyor" The average
citizen is likely to- discover that he
never knew, but voted that section of
the party ticket without reading it or
studying the Individual names before.
hand. AS result, the governors Of
Ace, which is conspicuous, Is the only
peoples ONCE on the state ticket, and
the r.,chine reluctantly dominates for
governor man who will attract tie
voters. even though he be the ma
chimes most hated and open foe, as
when the Barnes machine nominated
Hughes. But the other five admins
trative establishments with which this
L. blessed, thrive in obscruity and
serve the invisible government"
At the progressive state convention
Of 1912, the candidates for these minor
offices we're summoned to the platform
and looked over by the delegates. who
then proceeded to make their choice
It was humorous proceeding, and at
least a better method than that used
bv other party conventions, which
never even took LOOKOUT what a
way for the state Of New York to en-
gage its attorney and its engineer, etc!
Those little Offices are not properly
political and ought to be taken out Of
politics and kept out. There is no
proper republican or progressive way
of being secretary of state. There is
no democratic or prohibition way by
which the state treasurer can keep
the states cash! The presence Of
those Offices on the election list helps
to make political machines necessary
and with true poetic justice they serve
in return to keep the machines oiled
with patronage and Doodle. -.
Enumerating the advantages to be
gained from the "short ballot" the
statement declares that the state ballot
will be brought within the field Of real
oversight by the voters. as In New
York there will be only two state
offcers to take care Of instead Of
seven. This will unity under a single
head the officers of the state admin
istration and give one executive de-
partment, as in the national govern
ment, instead of six separate and indie
pendent ones 1t is added that the
governor Is given power to choose his
own instruments and therefore can be
held responsible to the people for
carrying out his constitutional and
statutory duties, as the governor will
be able personally to enforce his
authority over subordinates and would
have no excuse based on lack Of
power.
Summing up it's demand for the
"short ballot the progressive partys
statement says:
There still linger among us &C.
casional doctrinaries, welded to the
fallacies which have brought us so
much trouble in opr attempts at self
government. They argue-"such a
scheme would give the governor too
much power" 1t adds, in fact, only
about 10 per cent to his power if his
legislative influence and military
authority be properly appraised. The
fancied dangers in one-man power of
this sort do not compare with the perils
OF graft and waste and popular en-
slayement which we find in the present
irresponsible discordant six-headed
plan of government run by politicians
for their own benefit in defiance Of
popular desires.
The long ballot has never succeeded.
Il must be cut down until 1t becomes