The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-10-31

Original Is Owned by John
Haines of Topeka.
Ballot of 1860 Was Only 81
Inches Long.
Today 1t Is the Size Of . News.
paper Page.
Republican Ticket

Republican Ticket
For President
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
For Vice President
HANNIBAL HAMLIN.
Electors of President and Wee
President
LEONARD SWEET,
JOHN M. PALMER.
ALLEN c. FULLER,
WIN. b. PLATO.
LAWRENCE WELDON.
WIN. p. KELLOGG.
JAMES STARK,
JAMES C. CONKLlNG.
III. p III. CROMWELL
THOMAS G. ALLEN,
JOHN OLNEY.
For Governor,
RICHARD YATES.
For Lieutenant Governor,
FRANCIS A. HOFFMAN.
For Secretary of state,
OZIAS NJ. HATCH.
For Auditor Of Public Accounts,
JESSE *. DUBOIS.
For State Treasurer,
WILLIAM BUTLER.
For Superintendent of Public instruction.
NEWTON BATEMAN.
For Representative to Congress.
BENJAMIN NJ. PRENT1SS:
For Reprcsentative-4Cth District.
WILLIAM c. MALLEY.
For States Attorney,
JAMES II. STEWART.
For Clerk of the Circuit Court.
HUGH L. THOMPSON.
For Sheriff,
JOHN NJ. WILSON.
For Coroner,
ZIMRI d. TANNING.
For Constitutional Convention.
The above, SO far as possible con-
sidering the difference between the
type used in 1860 and the printing
units to be found in modern print
shop, is an exact reproduction OF a
relic of the first election Of Abraham
Lincoln. The original is owned by
John Haines of 1850 Van Buren,
street,. 1t is yellow with over half a
century of storage in a bureau drawer.
and creased just as Mr.. Haines' rela-
tive thrust it into his weskit pocket
that day when he went to vote. He
took it along, probably, just to have
q spare one in case of emergency, for
in those days the voter didn't ask one
of the election officials for a ballot, he
brought his own. If he wanted to
vote a straight party ticket. no mark
was made on the ballot except to
write in his Eyes or mo" in the space
left for a vote on constitutional con-
vention. If the ticket contained the
name of some person who had beaten
him in a boss trade or otherwise made
himself obnoxious, that name was
scratched out with a pencil, from
whence came the expression scratch
ing the ticket"
This was the national, state and
county ticket. as voted in an Illinois
county. 1t is five and a half inches
long and one scant newspaper column
wide, yet is the kind of a ballot that
elected the greatest president Of his
tory. 1t didn't take any paper to
choose the candidates. who were
picked in convention. and 1t IL more
than probable that had the present
primary law prevailed at that time
one A. Lincoln, who was a poor mar
and unable to conduct an enormous
advertising and travelling campaign
would not have been the candidate.
IT'S Different Now.
In Kansas this year, where only
state, county and congressional Offices
are to be filled, enough paper to con
struct a country weekly Is used. Thu
primary ballot was shaped something
like the n1ne-1OOt sheet on an Okld
homa hotel bed, and the ticket to b.
used next week is the size of a news
paper page, and costs more to prin
than a hundred Of the tickets used II
electing Abraham Lincoln. The Mas
sachusetts ballot. after which tn
Kansas ballot was partially modelled
IL II by Is inches, and folded fiv'
times. On the theory that ballo
can be made fool-proof. the Massa
chusetts specimen IL covered with
fancy scroll work. like wall paper, ani
white spaces are left only at thu
points where the voter is supposed t.
make a cross mark or write some
thing. o. X. Swayze. county clerk
has a copy Of the current issue of thu
Massachusetts, ballot for exhibition
purposes. In Massachusetts, all bal
lots are printed by the state, insteat
OF the counties. and are issued under
the signature of the secretary of thu
commonwealth-all secretary o.
state in Kansas.
s. -