THE AUSTRALIAN BALLOT

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, February 21, 1890.

The Australian Ballot.

(Suspension Bridge Journal.)

   It will strike the reflective mind as singular, that we must go off to one of England's penal colonies to find a perfect system of voting. As a matter of fact, it is no new system, but is simply the system long in use in England and her colonies. It has been in vogue across the river in Canada ever since ballot voting commenced, and such of our citizens as have watched its workings much prefer our own system.

  We have been familiar with the voting across the river for over ten years, and our observation convinces us that there is more corruption in Canadian elections than there is in New York State elections. During this time there has not been an election for the Dominion and Ontario parliaments but that one or more of the successful candidates have been unseated for bribery of voters.

   There is another peculiar feature about all the proposed ballot reform laws and talk. It is all aimed at the bribed voter. Why not propose some laws to hinder and punish the vote buyer? Of what use is it to build a Chinese wall around voters when the men who furnish the money to buy their votes are given cabinet offices, and the men who bribe "them in blocks of five" are protected by United States district attorneys, by the attorney-general and by the president of the United States?

   As long as there is ignorance and poverty, there will be men who will sell their votes for money if there is any one to buy them, and no laws can prevent this. But it is certain if there was no bribe money there would be no bribed voter, and the effort should be to punish and make odious the briber and the men who furnish the money for his use. This is the true secret of ballot reform.

   Least of all let not democrats lose their heads in this cry of "stop thief," raised by the men who are holding offices procured by bribery and who are honoring the men who furnished the money and are protecting the criminals who disbursed it.

   We believe the American ballot adopted by our fathers is a better ballot, an honester ballot, a freer ballot, than any used in England, Australia or Van Diemen's Land.

TOWN REPORTS.

SCOTT.

   Mud! mud! Where can we get ice for next summer?  If it is as warm accordingly then as the winter thus far has been, we shall all parch up and blow away unless we can have ice.

   Eighty-six dollars and forty-three cents was realized at the donation held for the benefit of Rev. H. P. Burdick last week.

   The "Cottrell & Frisbie suit" [taxes] takes place before Squire Kingsbury at Homer on Thursday of this week, we learn.

   At the republican caucus last Friday, E. W. Childs was nominated for Supervisor and Samuel Ames for Circuit Judge. F. A. Crosley, who had planned and worked for the office of Supervisor for the whole year was left in the lurch.

   130 votes were cast, but some came from out of town, and some in town voted twice in the taking of one ballot. Democratic candidate for Supervisor Eugene Perkins; Prohibition, Sylvanus Churchill.

   Henry A. Niver died this morning, (Tuesday), of pneumonia, after a few days sickness. He was a respected citizen, was formerly a democrat and was elected at one time Supervisor from this town, but for the past four years he has been an ardent Prohibitionist. He leaves an infirm father, a wife and three children to mourn his departure. He will be greatly missed by this community. His age was about 52 years.

   Things we would like to know. Wonder if the "Brilliant Attorney" of Scott heard anything drop at the republican caucus last Friday while the candidates for constables were being nominated? Wonder if that candidate for Supervisor who had worked so hard for the nomination for a whole year until he imagined everybody was fixed, will recommence for another year; or will he adjourn "signed I?" Does it not seem like crowding matters a little to import voters from Preble to vote in caucus? Does it make any difference how many men are promised help for the same office by the same individual in exchange for votes? If it don't make any difference this year, will it not next year?

PREBLE.

   Mrs. J. S. Cornue is not improving very fast.

   Those having the la grippe are convalescent.

   The burial of the son of Fernando Crofoot was made in the cemetery here, on Tuesday last.

   Miss Kate Loucks died last week of consumption at the home of her sister, Mrs. Otis Kingsly.

   Town meeting passed off very quietly, both parties urging voters to vote for our side, telling of the good qualities of the candidates for filling their respective offices.

   Presiding Elder U. S. Beebe delivered a very instructive sermon on Saturday evening last, and at the close the quarterly conference was held, and Sunday morning quarterly meeting was held in the Methodist church.

   Ryan Green, who had his leg broken at Cortland, is now able to be up and bear his weight upon his limb. It will be remembered that he fell upon the icy sidewalk about the tenth of January last, and is again able to attend to the business of deputy sheriff.

   Matthias Van Hoesen still lives, but is gradually wasting away. Mrs. Morrison, of Brooklyn, and Mrs. Ferrin, of Little Falls, are still at his bedside, waiting for the change to come, which, in all probability, is not far distant. In his death the community will lose a good counselor, as well as a highly esteemed citizen, and the family a kind husband and father.

   PETE. [pen name of correspondent]

EAST HOMER.

   Mr. Abram Griffith is slowly improving.

   Will Bell, of Truxton, has hired to Wm. Story for eight months for $20 per month.

   Mr. Dennis Carr has sold his black five-year old horse to John Osbeck. Price, $150.

   Mrs. David Seacord is confined to her bed with inflammatory rheumatism. Dr. Reese, of Cortland, attends her.

   Report says that John Osbeck will move on to the Charles Gaylord farm west of Cortland about the first of March.

   There was a meeting at Bennett Hall, last Saturday evening, for the purpose of discussing the license question. Mr. Frank Pierce and Elder Damon, of Homer, were the speakers.

   UNCLE SI. [pen name]

SOUTH CORTLAND.

   School will begin in the Morse school district on Monday, Feb. 24th, with Miss Clara Rood, teacher.

   Miss Addie McMahon, formerly of this place but now of Cortland, is clerking in Hollister's bakery store.

   John Mott, of this place, has hired out to Webb Corbin, of Dryden, eight months, at twenty dollars per month.

   Jay Nye lost a valuable horse last week. This was one of three horses that he purchased at the Messenger House barn last summer, called wild horses.

   We learn that wild geese and ducks have been going north. Now would be a good time for our weather prophets to come to the front and tell us what is to follow.

   Farmers are selling their dairies of butter at ten to fourteen cents per pound. This is the lowest that butter has been since 1854, when James Van Valen was buying butter at Cortland.

   Norman Francis, formerly of this place, and who lately received back pay and a pension of eleven hundred and forty dollars, has bought the Dr. Lanning place in McLean. Consideration, $800.

   George F. Jones, of Cortland, has hired the grocery store and house adjoining of Mr. Hall, and opened a first-class grocery. Mr. Jones is a son of Geo. B. Jones, Esq., and we understand he has had a grocery near the Binghamton depot for the past year.

   Now that the hard times and low prices of butter have come on to the farmer, we believe that our cows should be made productive at least ten and a half months in a year, and they can be with proper food and comfort. There are no milk solids, and especially butter fats, in barn yard shivers, icicles suspended from the cows' noses, or in frozen tears. One would think there was, from the common methods of wintering cows in some parts of this country.

   There was a large turn-out at the polls in Virgil, election day. One Republican jumped into the air early in the morning exclaiming that he held the whole business in his hands, but at 2 P. M. he looked pale, and owned up that Mr. Chaplin was beaten. The Republicans resorted to all kinds of tricks and schemes in the way of abusing Prohibitionists and challenging good honest men who have lived in Virgil for thirty years. Such proceedings look as if they were having a death struggle to keep their party together in these Republican protection times. Mr. Holton is now elected, and we know that we have one honest man in the Board of Supervisors who is in favor of reform. Hip, hip, hurrah!

FREETOWN.

   Beautiful weather and the sap is running nicely.

   Mr. George Borthwick spent Sunday in Marathon.

   Mr. Lewis Albro and wife, of Marathon, were guests at H. Stone's, Wednesday.

   The Knights and Ladies of the Golden Star met at the hall to elect and install officers the past week.

   Mr. Benjamin Homer has hired Almeran Metzgar's farm, and A. Metzgar will soon move on to Mr. Chauncy Tuttle's farm.

   Mr. Albert Jacobs and Lillie Brown were married in Scott by Rev. W. D. Fox, on Thursday. Much joy and success attend them.

   Death is again in the land. Mrs. Jane Rodgers died very suddenly, Saturday morning. She was the oldest child of Benjamin Watrous, of Freetown.

   Town meeting is upon us. We hope the office seekers will not have to pass any more sleepless nights, and will have no grip but the hand grip that many will give you.

   Sickness and the grippe still continue. Some are better and many are still feeble.

   In times like these the doctor skilled,

   His hopes of curing offers;

   His pockets are with money filled,

   Drawn from the public's coffers.

   KATE [pen name]

WILLETT.

   Mrs. Ellen Fish is home from Binghamton, caring for her son Berton, who is ill with scarlet fever.

   This community was very much shocked on Thursday morning last, by the announcement of the extremely sudden death of Mrs. Isaac Meacham, who resided in the southern part of the town. She retired at night in her usual health, and when Mr. Meacham awakened at five o'clock the next morning she was dead at his side. She had apparently breathed her life away without a struggle.

   The scarlet fever seems to hold its own in spite of our very efficient Board of Health.

   There will be a New England supper at the school house hall on Wednesday evening, Feb. 20.

   "CLEO." [pen name]

NEIGHBORING COUNTIES.

   CHENANGO.— Rev. E. V. Bowker, of Summer Hill, has been sued by his father-in-law, James Wheat of Plymouth, for criminal libel.

   A man nearly dead from hunger and cold was recently found in a [train] car which arrived at Norwich. He was an Australian, and had been in the car several days.

   One evening last week, Henry Davis, of Columbus, while under the influence of liquor, was seen running his horses up North street in New Berlin. When nearly opposite Melvin Barber's house, the whiffletree caught in the wheel, throwing one of the horses and breaking its leg. Mr. Barber ended the animal's suffering by shooting it.

   MADISON.—The Chittenango gas well is down over 200 feet.

   Brookfield has subscribed nearly $900 for a new G. A. R. building.

   Barley is selling in the Oneida market for from 35 to 40 cents a bushel.

   The suit of Maude Jones against Dr. Hemstreet, Canastota parties, for mal-practice in setting an arm, resulted in a $500 verdict for plaintiff.

   Mrs. Edward Scully, who has been on trial at Morrisville, N. Y., charged with the murder of William Rhinehart of Oneida, was acquitted last Friday evening. She received the verdict indifferently. Her husband, also indicted for the murder, was released on bail.

   TOMPKINS.—Twenty-two mails are sent out from the Ithaca post office daily.

   Enos L. Brown, of Jacksonville, succeeds Simeon Rolfe as keeper of the county alms house.

   The closing party of the McLean Dancing Club, will be held at Galloup's Hall, McLean, Friday evening, February 21. Blinn's orchestra will furnish music for the dancers. Full bill $1.25. Supper and horses cared for at the Elm Tree House.

   The project of establishing a bank in Dryden is receiving considerable attention of late, parties from Cuba, N. Y., having offered to furnish half the capital required, providing Dryden people will raise their share of a capital stock of twenty-five to thirty thousand dollars. The Cuba parties, we understand, are to have the privilege of naming the cashier and bookkeeper, if established, and the Dryden stockholders president and a majority of the directors. Two gentlemen are in town this week to investigate and make preliminary arrangements if possible.

   The contract for the new Savings Bank building in Ithaca has been let to W. D. Collingwood, of Buffalo, for $47,787. The plans were drawn up by architect Miller of this city, and call for a building three stories high of pressed brick. The first and second floors to be occupied by offices and the third will be arranged conveniently for a Masonic or other lodge. The building will occupy seventy-seven feet on Tioga street and ninety feet on Seneca. Work will begin in the foundation about the first of April. While the new building is being erected, the business of the Savings

Bank will be conducted in the apartments formerly occupied by the post office, in the Library building.