Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-02-25

retains the several side crosses. except
as to presidential electors. these to De
voted for, If the voter chooses. under
the single Cross method. The question
naturally arises why this exception why
the voter Is to have one method for the
September election. q different method
for the November election. why not the
same method a. now at both elections. II
the single cross method IL good for the
presidential electors group, In Novem-
Der. why not equally good for the party
groups at September election.
The voters are well acquainted with
the present method and after 3 years
experience the detectives" have grown
ana are growing less in number each
year, many If not the most o. them now
being blanks. which no marking method
can change or AFFECT. Why REQUIRE the
voters. now. to begin all over again to
learn their duties under q more complex
and confusing system than tho one In
use. 1 think. mistakenly perhaps. that
/ have a fair understanding of the aver
age voter Of the State OF Maine. his In
telligence. capacity. civic sense. point
OF view, motive and purpose.
Fifteen years service behind the ball
lot box in one Of the large towns OF the
State, as an election officer. IS years
service as a town committee man, Il
years as a county committee man, not
to mention several other positions close
ly connected with election machinery.
with voters and voting ought to have
given me the practical side of the bus
mess An experience, gained not from
theories about the matter. but from con-
slant. practical. official contact with the
matter-with the voter as he is. 80 to
speak. 1t must be remembered that
from now on any change would tend to
increase the number Of defective ballots.
and consequently any change should De
based upon a necessity. If no necessity,
no change. I venture to assert that the
percentage CT detective ballots is greater
today in Massachusetts than in Maine.
and under the Massachusetts, method OF
grouping candidates names asked for
in this petition) an alphabetical accident
effects as unfair a result. as ever the
primo-geniture laws OF England accom-
plished in giving the estate and titie
to the oldest son to the exclusion OF the
other heirs-a principle never adopted
in this country. Why should a oaliot
be SO constructed that for the same
Office, Candidate Adams. because his
name begins with A, should stand
better chance OF being voted for, than
Candidate Hersey or Candidate Trafton.
Change is not necessarily reform
The changes asked for, as ! see 1t,
would be, not reform" but reversion TO
a type already tried and DISCARDED.
Modern experimental election methoos
are after all only a means to an end
merely machinery. The end to De at
tanned is or ought TO be, that majority
Of all the voters who have T1ght to
vote should control. That is our theory
of government. the foundation upon
which the governmental fabric was orig
iuaIIy supposed to rest. In actuai
practice however q plurality OF the vot-
ers who vote control, and there is dis
tinct danger that too much and TOO ire
ouent tinker;ng with the machinery, TOO
many and too changing and newiangletl
laws and methods may ultimately trans
Ter the control to a plurality. not o. the
plain people but to a plurality OF the
highly educated, who alone Will be aoie
to keep up. and to comprehend and use
q machinery gradually made too uncef-
tain. too unstable and too intricate 10
attract and hold to his civic duty, the
average citizen.
NICHOLAS FESSENDEN.