Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-05
MAINE LEGISLATURE.
CONTINUED from Page Five.)

lIbltlId On NolIiS Nilt lhdSSdCilu-
sets ballot. We educated the voters.
Not only that, but the voter himself
went to the ballot box and learned by
the very act itself to vote the Massa-
chusettS ballot. Every one of Us went
into the booth and with a pencil took
the Massachusetts ballot and com
mencing with Governor, down to Rep
resentatiVes to the Legislature, we
picked out the man we wanted for
Governor, for auditor, for Represen-
tatives to Congress, for Senators, and
so on And we marked at the right
OF them. as you mark the Massachu-
sets ballot, a cross. We learned how
to vote that ballot. And after learn
ing that. after men came out of the
booth, as YOU and | know, they said to
You and to me. why, how simple a
thing it is to vote that ballot after
you once do it" They liked it. They
liked it, and in every primary election
they must vote it, as the law now
stands.
But what happened When the
September election came. YOU and
know this; there was thrust into the
hand of every voter, what? \ bunch
of pastors, For every little politician
looking for Office buttonholed him ana
said Won't YOU paste my name on
there? Here take this" and the fell
low. not wishing to offend anyone. had
his pockets full of pastors. Yes, he
wanted to pick cut his men. The vot-
er, today. wants to vote independents
~. The time Of the old party boss and
politician is gone And the only thing
that keeps the voter from voting in
dependently is that mongrel ballot we
have had. So the voter went into the
booth and had two things in his mind;
one that he had n lot of candidates to
select, and the other that he mad a lot
OF pastors he wanted to put on some
bodS's names. He had in his brain the
ballot Of June. What happened2 Did
You ever look into it? / have. and
nave seen the result of it: more spoiI-
ed ballots in the September election
than ever before. and | took pains to
inquire diligently all over Maine. from
town and city clerks. as to the num-
Der of ballots that were spoiled. and
how they We're spoiled.
How We're they spoiled? They were
spoiled just two ways. First. there was
no cross over the party name. That
spoiled the ballot anyway. But in certain
ballots there were pastors, pastors, past
efs! More pastors than ever before. He
had fished into his pockets and pasted
and pasted until he was tired.
What else happened? Down in the mar
gins of this old bastard ballot he had
MADE crosses, crosses. crosses, and no
Where over the party name. That WAS
The result of educating man i'm June and
in less than 30 days after that educating
BIN. some other way.
: Axe people going TO stand thar kind of
bhslness? When We demonstrated with
them we said we cannot remedy This
matter until the next Legislature. then w.
VIII remedy the matter and give You the
Massachusetts ballot. and they exnact il
and here YOU are. Are you going to give
II 20 them | submit to you that here is
d ballot Just as simple as the human mind
can devise. Your candidates are gro,rp-
ed; they are grouped alphabetically. The
name OF the party to which they belong
is at the right, There is a space to MAKE
your cross. You can pick out your men
right through the whole ballot. You can
express your opinion. That is what the
ballot is for. You cannot spoil your bal
lot unless YOU refuse to mark II at all.
GU can vote for all the men You wish
ana only do you spoil the names where
you vote for two candidates for one of
nee. where YOU should vote for one. Then
you do not spoil those rightly voted for.
Massachusetts has no spoiled ballots.
a a =.
going to play politics over this matter
any longer, over a matter that ought not
TO be party matter at all, or are we to
say To the people of the State of Maine:
You have now a primary election law
we will make the State election ballot
conform to ito" This is a simple ballot
for the people. The press of the State is
for it, the Grange of the state is for it
the labor organizations of the State stand
Tor 1T; the people of the state stand for
IL. The only ones against it are the old
politicians who want to return to the old
days and the old campaign, and | say to
you, putting politics aside. we ought to
do something for the people of the State
Of Maine in this matter
For while we wrangle with our thumb
WORN cfeeUS,
our large professions and our little deeds
Wrong rules the land, and waiting Justice
sleeps"
Mr.. MURPHY of Cumberland: Mr.
President, Senator Hersey has probably
given this considerable attention.
would like to have him construe Section
"a 'On receipt of his ballot, the voter
shall forthwith and without leaving the
enclosed space. retire alone to one of the
voting shelves or compartments so pl ovid
ed and shall, except in the case of voting
or Presidential electors, prepare his bal
OF by making a cross in the square at ,ne
right of the name of each candidate for
whom he intends to vote or by inserting
The name of such candidate in the space
provided therefor and making a cross in
the square at the right and, upon ques-
ton submitted to the vote OF the people,
by making a cross in the square at the
light of the answer which he intends to
give"
Now, Mr.. President, l would like to ask
he senator, through the Chair, if a man
comes along and on account of poor eye
light or other causes, has to ask for help,
| would like to ask how the senator IN
TORN in, a