The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1917-01-12

elections are making a proper dis
tribution Of these expenses because
the provisions Of the statute are both
and unintelligible. There
are at least FIVE different forms for
submitting different questions TO the
vote Of the people. The machinery
Of elections is very expensive. II
costs about a million dollars a year 70
exercise our right Of suffrage. The
board Of elections make expenditures
without restraint, being limited by
neither appropriation nor budget. II
would seem quite Unnecessary to elab-
orate upon the unsafety of this prac-
tice.
Students Of the subject suggest that
cost might be diminished by reducing
the number Of registration days, and
making primary day a registration
day, as some states have done. This
would popularize the primary and in
sure a larger vote. The cost to candi-
dates might be reduced by changing
primary date from August 70 Septem-
ber and thus shortening the cam
paign. At any rate, the election laws
should be recodifed with care and
without unnecessary expense. 1t is
recommended, therefore, that leRis-
lative committee be appointed for this
purpose, and to examine also into
the Massachusetts, plan Of voting. It's
chief recommendation is that it en-
/ courages Independent suffrage action,
and brings a fuller understanding Of
| the issues 1t is always wise in con-
templating an important change in
law and custom to precede legislative
act by careful survey. The executive
recommendation is made pursuant to
that thought.
The primary law should be changed
so as to provide for the rotation Of
names on the ballot, and thus destroy
the very unfair advantage accruing
from location by alphabet. It is a
very simple thing to do, and so mani
festly right that there should be
neither delay nor hesitation in the
change.
Absent Voters Law.
The absence Of Ohio soldiers from
their homes brings to public notice
the importance and propriety of pass.
ing an absent voters law. These meT
have left both home and business, al
probably the most prosperous time
the country has ever known. Oppor
tunity has been sacrificed to patriot
ism, and yet under existing election
laws, the further penalty has been i'm
posed of depriving them of their suf
frage rights. There are other citizens
who lose their voting privilege be
cause their normal responsibilities anC
assignments carry them away from
home. Society inveighs against in
difference in voting and properly so
but government does not provide rea
sonable means for this interested clas
of voters to render response to com
manding duty of citizenship. Stuff
cient attention has been given to thi
, matter to warrant the assurance tina
/ the absent voting plan is entirely fea
sible without in any way disturbing
the registration laws or promoting tn
. opportunity for fraud. | earnestl
, recommend the passage Of such law
: The Eightieth General Assembl
= passed the Gregory act which SEP
e arated the state and national ticket
2 in the election-the purpose being t
t 1t was repealed by the Eighty-firs
T rangement restored through the Hui!
WllI law. lie III Sl dlSeil
e sociating the ballots had been recon
r mended for years by non-partisa
a students of the subject and was base
e upon principle. None will deny tn
: Hulswitt act was prompted entirely b
). political expediency, and it should /
d repealed.
Y In the authorization Of public e,
h pense, you should be mindful of ecor
n | 4 N-A
r ments so far as you can, with sue
e checks and restraints as to prever
1t extravaganza, but it should be cor
e structive, and not false econom.
y Let us speak plainly on this subjec
II Government, under modern auspice
is is given enlarged functions. We al
e finding out that the governmer
e which belongs to the people can rel
s. der service to them which was not a
r. tempted under the old order. The il
d ventive and experimental genius {
J. man has been more generally an
IS iect in the last decade than ever b,
le fore, and in this evolutionary develoI
If ment, provincialism is departed fror
,r and the state is given new assignment
1T upon the very sensible idea that til
~ ldGR6T uillG llOb OllI plOlilOlCo Gil
C. cheney, but economy as well. If tn,
lie ory amounts to anything, it must hay
G. practical result, and what societ
,e exacts from government, it may pa
IL. for
st Coming 20 the concrete: There
~ no economy in making inadequat
y provision for the wards of the stat
i, and if money were saved at the sacr
% flee of self respect, the circumstanC
ot would be a reproach to the common
n wealth. OUr governmental unit COZ
, ceived by an intelligent citizenshi
% and builded on resource unsurpasse
.e almost in its diversity and richnes
ir will never claim the reverence it d.
y serves unless in policy it is so symp'
10 thetic as to insure relief and mea
O. urable comfort for the weak and III
e. fortunate. 1t is one thing to hel
IF those in unhappy plight and quite al
le other duty to society to pursue 2
investigation that will supply sal
nj and effective direction Of energy, fl
IS the purpose Of providing against col
AZ ditions that needlessly help to fill oil
~ ;nstitutions The iuyenile reSearC