Two page fold out from a large format magazine. Measures 14 inches tall by 21 inches across.
WHAT DO YOU KNOW About Voting?
By GEORGE A. CLANREVAN
(Lexicographer, Encyclopedist, Radio Broadcaster)
We Americans take to vot¬ing as naturally as we do to breathing. But our system didn't just "happen"; it was developed through years of trial and error. Here is how many present-day election customs came into being.
Why "Ballots"? and Why "Cast"?
When the an¬cient Roman voted, he tossed a little ball into a round container that looked like a wastebasket. White balls signified "Yes"; the dreaded black balls meant "No".
Today we slide a folded piece of paper through a slot in a box —or we operate a modern vot¬ing machine. But it is still called "casting a ballot", which actu¬ally means throwing a bail.
Counting Our Heads
Voters used to be counted by the head, as were cattle. Another word for head is poll. So a spot where we—and our votes—are counted is still a polling place.
Say It With Chalk
The Roman office-seeker whit¬ened his robe with chalk, as a sign of good, clean politics. The word for white was can¬did—hence our term candidate. Today, when a speaker says, "I'll be candid with you," he means "I'll be white with you."
Ambitious Candidate
Even two thou¬sand years ago a candidate had to go out on talking tours to get votes. They called such a tour an ambitio. And since such a candidate always had a great desire for preferment and honor, ambitio became the source of the word ambition.
Australian Ballot
There were no secret ballots in the days of our ancestors; hence they were often victimized by over-persuasive candidates. To Francis S. Dutton, of Australia, goes the honor of proposing the secret ballot of modern times known as the Australian ballot; and to Louisville, Kentucky, the honor of first using it in our country—in December, 1888.
The People's Friend
Campaign advertising was sim¬ple, twenty centuries ago. No papers, no radio; just plain walls. Sign painters covered them with political slogans. "Vote for Cleonius Pri¬sus— Cheaper Food and a Free Circus!" "Vote for Julius Politius; he's hand¬some as Apollo!" Some of the slogans of those early ballyhoo artists are still visible on the walls today.
Stump Speeches
"Americans are always making speeches," said early visitors from overseas. And no wonder! Pioneer dwellings were surrounded with tree stumps—natural platforms for budding orators. Nowadays candidates still "stump the country". And if they want to hesitate while making up their minds, they can "sit on the fence"—another Americanism.
In Old Virginia
Three centuries ago, any Vir¬ginia freeman who stayed at home on election day without a good excuse was fined; at first, one hundred pounds of fine tobacco; later, two hundred pounds.
The First "gallop" Poll
Everybody votes nowadays; but in North Carolina, around 1715, you had no vote if your house had no chimney. In South Carolina, you couldn't vote if you owed mon¬ey; so just be¬fore election there would be a big rush to pay bills. And in 1656 a man named John Harrington claimed that only men who rode horses should vote. He wanted ballot-boxes placed high on posts, in a sort of park, so the gentlemen riders could vote on the run in a sort of "Gallop" poll!
Women For Votes?
Womenfolk got into elections as early as two centuries ago, in Georgia. A citi¬zen couldn't run for office if his wife or other fe¬male relative reeled less than fifteen pounds of silk a year.
Fifty-seven Days!
Old-time elections often lasted for several days. In England, eight or nine days was common; in Mayo County, Ireland, many years ago, the polls were once kept open for fifty-seven days. Today, our free nation of over 130,000,000 people can make its fair-and-square choice in less than 24 hours.
After the Election
After you elect a candidate, you have to wait a long time to find out if your choice was right. But when you cast your vote for a bottle of that even finer Schlitz, you'll know instantly that you couldn't have made a better choice. It's the candidate with the record and repu¬ration so great that it made a city famous I throughout the world. How about voting now? Just say "a bottle of Schlitz" most anywhere. At your very first sip, that famous flavor will tell you that you've voted right!
So far as beer is concerned, the election is over. It's a landslide for that even finer Schlitz. Lovers of real beer like its buoyancy, brilliance and full, fine flavor. They say it's the grandest beer they ever tasted. And you too will say the same. So try that even finer Schlitz today. Order it by name - wherever fine beer is sold - by the drink, by the bottle or by the can.
Copyright, 1940 Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wis.