The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1875-09-21

1901. Ihey "a nne on every
voter who did not attend the town
meetings by nine O'clock in the MORN
ing, or who absented himself without
leave until they adjourned. Do you
think there was any false voting or
any false counting then? They made
IL their business To attend in person,
aud discharge their whole duty. Why
cannot we do ours? Are liberty and
country less lear To US? Let the laws
provide that the voters themselves, at
one election, choose three OF the judges
and clerks TO receive the votes at the
next uo voter being allowed To vote
for more than one, 50 that the minOTi-
~ may select at least one of the clerks
and Une Of the judges in every pre-
cinct. Let ii be provided also that the
judges Of elections shall be pom u
raised platform, that the ballOt-bOxes
and judges may be in full view OF all
the voters OF The precinct during the
election.
In all cities OF more than 80, 900 peo-
pie, to guard against repeating, false
counting, aud stuffing Of false votes in
ballot-boxes, let the law provide that
the name and place OF residence Of
each voter shall be written upon his
ballot, aud publicly read in the assem-
lily, before being put into the box.
Aud. II challenged, require his identi-
ty and place of residence TO be proved
by the ufidavits of at least two cleo
tors then present, who, IL either judge
demands II, shall on oath, he further
examined as To his identity and place
of residence, in presence OF ali the
electors. This provision would re-
quire u change of the constitution of
many of the States.
These provisions once adopted, in
addition 10 the present legal require
ments, would secure the ballot-box
against fraud in voting and fraud in
counting. The judges of election,
aided 10y the police and by the pres
enee of the citizens, could preserve
perfect order, and make the elections
as quiet in the city as In a country
town.
1t may he said that this last provis-
ion impairs the secrecy of the ballot
in large owns. That is true to some
extent. But the necessity of preserv-
ing the ballot box against fraud in
large cities, Overbalances all supposed
advantages of the secret ballot. The
argument for secrecy is this that the
laboring man may he intimidated 10y
the capitalist il he knows how lie
votes. But the day for hat reasoning
is past in all large towns. The labor
er no longer fears the capitalists.
The greatest writer upon govern
ment we know, Baron MOntesquieu,
as well at Cicero, who spoke from ac-
tual observation, says that the laws
which rendered the sufirages secret TO
Rome, toward the close of the republic,
were the cause Of its decline. | quote
their very words: by rendering the
suffrages secret in the Roman Repnb-
lie, all was lost" And why? Secrecy
became the for fraud, bribery,
and false counting in hat great city.
Gibbon, also the great historian aud
philosopher. dates the decline of the
Roman Republic from the introduce
ton of secret voting.
Besides, the open ballot, publicly
given, shows courage, manhood. free
dom. 1t tends to make men worthy
to be free.
But, gentlemen, there is another
great reform in suffrage, which, as |
think, all thoughtful men should favor.
HOUSEHOLD SUFFRAGE.
When fully considere in all its
bearings it Will, l believe, command
the assent of the great majority of all
political parties. 1t will do more
than any other one thing TO bring
good government to our large cities,
by placing it upon the true basis of
human society.
We have adopted in all the States
universal manhood suffrage. The re-
form suggested accepts that, and does
not propose to change it. 1t, however,
recognizes the most essential element
of modern Christian rivilization-the
family-its rights, its duties, and its
powers.
1t proposes to give To househoIders
and heads of families who, for such
time AS shall he fixed by law-say
one or two years-have lived with
and supported their families in the
district where they vote, two votes
one to represent their manhood in
common with all other men, and one
to represent the household, including
women and children. The term
Observation-Disclosures head OF famiIy-in
the great majority of cases will, of
course, mean married men; but not
in all cases. As, for instance, a man
may be the head of a family and a
householder, whose widowed mother
or sister keeps house.
The reason why II head of family
should have a double vote when men
without families have but one, may
be stated briefly as follows:
]. Because the man without family
represents but n human being,
while the head of a family represents
always two, and generally more.
2. Because a man without family
has not more than one-half as much
at stake in good government as the
head of a family.
3. Because, other things equal, the
man without family is only half as
well educated IN all that ncern the
good of society as the head of a family
living with them and supporting
them by his own eXertions.
4. Because the man without family
has had little, if any, experience in