Show ABUSE BUSE Or OP OJ EI ELECTIONS EL fOXS In the time latest election electon at Cook county county county coun coun- ty Ill II six judges and nine sanitary trustees were chosen cho Eve Every elector was s called cled upon thus thua to vote for or fifteen fit fit- teen different per persons When hen the national national na na- na- na tona state and anul county elections fell fel at tho the same time each Chicago elector was wa actually called upon to tote vote te for tort forty different persons persons counting counting the cole college e of oC Presidential electors as us two He lie was a asked to fill 1111 fn forty offices b by election The he mero mere statement of or these facts I Ithol I. I j their thol indictment Indictment The Tho Chicago Chicago Chi Chi- cago cao Tribune says fays that on tho the face tace of ot things It is Impossible for tor an any class clas of ot citizen even the time be best t Informed to choose choos intelligently a among ong the candi candi- dates nominated to fill fl Cort forty different ent public lUblic TIme The The ot voter Is Ila likely to be informed about the thc two or am three most conspicuous candidates in the campaign campaign campaign cam cam- and to lo be Ignorant concerning all ni the rest The Thc result resul Is that ho he consults consuls con con- suits the recommendations of or newspapers newspapers newspapers news news- papers or friends for help hell In making up UI his ballot balot or Ot he votes only for Cor the candidates ho knows or he votes a straight party part ticket In Iii an any event he heS deposits a ballot balot which is only oMy partially S Intelligent I I This aspect of the situation on has not been missed ed by hy the politician n. n Instead he knows knos well weB Its Is great great value to him hini He knows that tho the voters voters' voter helfe helplessness ne neIs Is his opportunity H He lie chooses a few conspicuous candidates perhaps to suit his political game garo Ho lie lo ma may flaunt faunt the cheap P and amid specious s pica pic that as many officers as possible should be popularly chosen chosen hut but ho Ito knows wh why ho flaunts this plea His machine will wi nominate and the tho hauled voter mus must S perforce vote aye There are me two main changes which ought to be ie made In our OUI political system ys- ys S tem tern with wih a view to reducing I If not the number of or elections then at least the number of or oIli of offices es filled by electon election The he election of oC public officials has hag been carried car car- car I 5 I nod ried to absurd and suicidal lengths S not b by the people but h by the political machines B By presenting to the thc voter more mOe offices to bo ho filled fled than he lie could possibly act intelligently upon and then h by controlling nominations those machines have havo under the guise of popular popular popular pop pop- ular voting themselves actual actually named the officials If It I the number of elected officials were cut down three fourths the voters voter's ren real Interests would be vastly vastly vast vast- S ly better beter conserved |