Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1914-04-17

holds church interests secondary.
Secret Ballot In France.
In other European countries the
same trend toward democracy may
be found. France, under the popular
president, Poincare. has just substi-
tuted the secret ballot for the ballot
voted in public in an urn. thus giving
to democracy a chance to express IT.
self without outside knowledge or in
reference. At the next general cleo
ton in France q system similar in
principle to the so-called Australian
ballot, now general in the United
States, will be employed. 1T is esti-
mated that 100000 isoloirs-which Is
the French word for polling booth
will be required in France when the
system comes into operation" said q
French journalist. And they will
cost is francs each (about $500. 0OO),
an enormous and unnecessary ex-
pense," said a Conservative. The
comment suggested the argument OF
cost once employed against the adop-
ton of the secret ballot in the United
States
Suffrage Reform Promised In
Germany.
In Prussia and some other German
states, where the election conditions
are little removed from feudalism,
only the strong arm of monarchical
authority has kept back reform. The
growing opposition to the illiberal
three class" system in Prussia by
which one-third of the so-called popu-
lar house of the Prussian parliament
is elected by 100000 voters. one-third
by 100000 voters, and one-third by
100000 voters, has become strong
enough to compel promise of re-
form In a speech from the throne.
Mecklenburg is worse on than Prus-
STA but here, too, reform IL imminent.
Saxony recently modified its system
by adopting manhood suffrage and the
secret ballot. though giving two votes
to the possessors Of incomes Of more
than $500 . year, while incomes OF
$3.50 q year entitle to three votes and
certain standards of education, certain
professions and incomes of $500 q
year to four votes. Baden has gone
to the extreme of liberality-for
present-day Germany-and provided
in its constitution for manhood SUI
frage, secret ballot and lone man, one
VOTE" In all the German states the
most casual looker-on at the things
political finds q movement, which can
not long be denied success. In favor
of q modification into q more demo-
cratic system of the present inheri-
lance from feudalism under which, a.
a Munich Conservative mildly point
ed out, 'the advantage Is somewhat
too large on the side Of brains. caste
and money"
Plural Voting Doomed In England.
In Great Britain the Liberals and
many Conservatives are supporting q
bill which will abolish there the
archaic system Of plural voting. Under
this system it is possible for electors
to- be on the voting lists of several
constituencies, with the results that
the residents in localities have been
swamped by outsiders possessing
votes because they happened to own
land in those divisions or In adjoin-
ing constituencies. II the system pre-
vailed in the United States. a voter
might cast his ballot for congressman,
for example, In Columbia, Missouri.
in Kansas City. In Chicago. and In
Louisville, II he owned property In
or adjoining these constituencies.
There are tens of thousands of Brit
ish voters who are thus entitled to
cast their votes in more than one
constituency and at least $4,000 uni
versity voters who can vote more
than once. 1t IL q remedy for this
condition by giving zone man, one
VOTE" that the new election bill In
England provides. It will doubtless
soon become q law.
ofFieIaldom the Plague Of Europe.
1t is perhaps the ofacial in Europe.
pointed out Henry w. Nevinson.
rather than the crown. the aristoc-
racy or even the plutocrat, who now
most endangers liberty. Bureaucratic
interference with personal life. long
the plague of most European capitals.
threatens to infest the world. We are
called upon to accept the expert
a. our controlling guide and "ef.
fciency" as the final test of govern
ment. Many Of the perils Of mon
archy or any other government from
above Turk in such advice. Bees and
ants are eficient but their progress
appears to have stopped-stopped
dead, a. we say; or. II you want ex-
pert government watch the law and
order Of sheep before q dog. ON
cials. even In the best countries, usu-
ally govern badly. because they
naturally magnify their once and rou-
tine above life. regarding the In
trusion of reality AZ an unwarrantable
disturbance to their habitual toll or
leisure. But that 10 not the worst Of
1t. a. the traveller through Europe
soon learns. Even under the most
efficient oficialdom. the governed suf.
fer q degrading loss Of personality.
It IL disastrous to maintain order.
however mechanically perfect. or to
organize virtue and comfort. however
judiciously proportionate, II personal.
ity and variety are gone.
Self Government Gaining.
It IL the Increasing sense that self.
government 10 better than good gov.
ernment"-to quote the forceful
phrase of a Britain snntearnan-fhat IN