The Montana nonpartisan., 1919-02-08

tion emanating from the sixth floor
Of the Hennessy building, the change
OF date is the sugar-coatinp on a
very bitter pill.
The bill proposes to make it i'm
possible for any organization but the
regular parties to function and pro-
poses that a political party be de-
fined as, lone which at the last pre-
ceedlng election cast at least twenty
per cent Of the total vote cast for
congressional candidates at the last
election"
A new party may be organized on
petition OF at least two per cent Of
the total vote cast at the last general
election for the successful candidate
for governor. Defeat in the primaries
puts candidate out Of the race.
Among the worst features of the
bill and one which simply means that
it is practically forbidden to vote on
two different party tickets-a re-
striction which is one Of the most ir-
ritating provisions of the present
bill--.is the requirement that the vot-
er shall indicate the party ballot he
desires, and the voters selection
shall constitute a declaration of par
ty affiliation. He may be challenged
however, by some Of the two party
watchdogs, who will be at the polls
and his allegiance to the party whose
ballot he has asked for doubted. He
will then be required to oath before
a Judge of election, to the effect that
ne is in good faith a member of the
party, and intends to affiliate with it
at the ensuing election. There are
many other provisions in the bill
which seek to hamper the free ex-
preston of the suffrage, but since it
is to be submitted to referendum at
special election held on the first
Tuesday in June, 1919, the voters
will have ample opportunity to ex-
press themselves upon it.
New Ballot Scheme.
AS if this were not enough there
has been introduced by Representa-
tive Buchanan of Yellowstone coun-
ty. a bill providing for an arrange
ment whereby it may become known
early in the day how the voting is
going and time enough allowed for
the getting together of sufficient ri
val voters 10 overcome the earlier in
dications.
The measure provides for the
, COZ NTING OF BALLOTS AND
| TUE TABULATION OF VOTES
! ntRlNG THE DAYTIME
WHILE THE VOTING is BE-
ING DONE, although the result
will not be made public until the
polls close.
The idea is to have two ballot
boxes. One of the boxes num-
bered one and the other two. 1t
would be the duty of the Judges
to select two of their number,
not of the same political party,
who should be called receiving
Judges.
During the first hour of voting
the ballots would be deposited in
box number one and the end ,e
the hour would he turned over In
the receiving Judges who woult,
proceed to count them. And so on
through the day.
1t is provided in the bill that
all persons involved would be
sworn to secrecy during the day,
but sirce this is Montana, ana
siuce the copper crowd have the
most Infamous reputation for
election frauds, it is hut mere
cynical Iunor or fatuous inuo-
cence, that could suggest the IN
PRODUCTION OF such Il bill.
The League Stand.
The Legislative Gelegat tiCn OF the
Nonpartisan league are on the watch
for all these devices and subterfuees
of the opposition and there wi! be a
lon" hard fight in thc legislature be-
81.
law.