Ka Leo o ka Lahui, Volume II, Number 388, 12 Pepeluali 1892 — The Secret Ballot a Success. [ARTICLE]

The Secret Ballot a Success.

Kotwithetanding the roany ambigerous featuree tbat hamper some »ections of tbe election law, the eecret halloi votiiig has proved a success. 11 is unfortunate that so many ballots has to to be rejected. just jibroufh a 6light deviation from theoiethod named in the law for making them. The percentage of

ballots so rejected was very large and in any European country wouiel have null:fted tbe eleeiion. The iaw in th:s respect be mod;f;ed re :t is absurd aml unfair ior in6tar.ee to reject a ballot that hnā heen marked on the left ineteftd on ;be right side, and with an o,ins!ead cf an X.

AJ everv pr*cinct s :n Honolulu. the balloting was conductēd in the moBt or<ler]y iiian:,(r and it was the moBt quiet election ever held here The rust!ir.g and bul!*doz* ing of voters that ha? cbftracterized every Dreviou? election was rendered insposfcfb]tf. For the first

time. ttje voter hae enjoyed hie conptitmional pri vilege of castine hia yote according to his own eon▼ictione In the secret compartwenu protected from the rabble of bowling runner«, b:8 vote waa 4iig own. and not one tbrust for him by iDtimidation.

We await with intereBt tp bear from the other islanus whether the secret bailot hae b«en refpect«d /ind conducted w;th integrity and fa!rnese. The intimidating BDethodt heretofore employed by the sagarbarone or the big plantations iiave been a diBgrace ahd an utter perviBion of the grand principle that Bupreme power in the bands vf the peopie at the bal!ot box.

Soiae of t he inspectors of election were v*ry pronouuced and offeDBivt in their patljap®hip and in the fim diftnct ē«peciall> did their bf»st to prevent Hawaiī&na from votin(t The uneenain rule &nd w de!y prtctice wgarding rtjectfd b*llot»: the to Hawnimn iii" trytn§ to xake a htllot printe<i in £ng:īi>h they cou]d not underetncd; the disgrxcfful conduct of ctsrtain ineipectors, the tevera) iostancet in wtfich n.iti*HS who were regirtertd irere refated permi6«ioD to Tote|wUhout

proctaeiioi> ef!lām*rte«pl« Uie of a larg« BQi»b«r of *ba!. 1013 wbi€b w*jfeelie*ed ougbt to be eo«nte4« m ali k&vm* t? m«Uny Ow «keōoii, bat H if not so mueh ih» &»!t #f 4be iaw aa it loieHoi*. i :