Mexico weekly ledger., 1878-11-14
UNRESTRICTED SUFFRAGE.

" u - ANb Wv "a H0SSN ~ u
amendment has been de-
feated. Had it been simply aproposi-
ton to tax voters, each, one dollar
for educatio nal purposes, it would
not have been SO Objectionable. But
whether SO designed by those that
drew it up or not, it conferred upon
the legislature power to enforce an
unlimited poll tax.
fitconld be proven that there ex-
listed in this country necessity for
such a grant of power We should re.
gard such a condition of society as
the most forcible argument that had
ever been made against universal
suffrage. 1t would topple over our
faith in the ability of the people to
govern themselves.
We have no idea, however, that
such a conclusion a be established
by either argument or experience.
We hold that the best form of gov
ernment is that which gives most
general satisfaction. The stability
of such a nation does not depend on
the maintenance of order by force.
1t is upheld by those benefited, who
must of necessity constitute the ma
jority. Such a government may not
be the ode capable of conducting So
eiety to the highest results it may be
susceptible of; but it will be the one
most grateful to those that sustain it.
War usually tests the stability Of
governments. The monarchial rul-
ers of the old world have been most
ly displaced by commissions. 1t has
been amidst the rattle of arms there
that popular rights have been assert
ed and maintained. Even in their
foreign wars such governments have
often been obliged to silence the
sympathy of their subjects tor their
enemies, bv resorting to such tyran-
nical measures of repression as SOON
er or later resulted il their downfall.
But neither the government of the
United States nor that of the con-
federacy during their civil wal when
sympathy of a part of the citizens of
each for the other was wide spread,
was compelled to suspend either civil
law or the ordinary rights of popu-
lations except at the seat of war.
The world never beheld anywhere,
before or since, such calm and i'm
plicit reliance on the unconstrained
loyalty of voting and controlling ma
jorities as was then manifested both
ut the North and South.
Again, some have anticipated that
countries governed by parties COM
posed of m~ajorities and minorities
would be peculiarly subject to con.
vulsions. Our history has not justi-
fed such apprehensions. We have
seen the majority party of this coun.
try when the fruits of its victory were
snatched from its grasp by fraud and
chicanery, submitting temporarily te
be controlled by the minority, in
preference 10 plunging into anarchy
What gave rise to that ex~traordinar,
scene? What could it have sprung
from but the sublime confidence o.
the Democratic party that thu ougf
majority votes it could control and
ultimately expel Republicans from
their unlawful position of authority
No doubt much of what been allu,
ded to may be traced Indirectly if MOI
directly to the very general distri
button of property that obtains il
this country. Position wealth ant
influence are within the reach of eve
ry one. There are no privileged
classes in our midst. Bat all these
unusual conditions may be retraced
| to the result of unrestricted suffrage
Here government has also bee,
subjected to other tests which o
themselves unassisted by those tina
have been mentioned would hay
? suficed to destroy it elsewhere
These, however, though they cam
upon us through suffrage did no
y arise out oft. We have had iron
s time to time inieeEsd into our popu
latlon the restless M dsSsaptente,
), of all Lationalities. There u -
false system or theory of govern
ment that foreigners have not sough
!" to transplant into our midst. Mon
= archy, aristoaracy and arnarchy dur
ing u entire history have had thei
a imported advocates. Poligamy, 90
. cialism and communism, with agrs
rianism and reputation their legitl
mate offspring, even when guide
and infiamed by such men as Kearne
and hosts CT others like him, hav
u not been abie to weaken much les
destroy authority. Why then shout
the most fundamental principl. c
,r what has been so enduring, satisfaC
tory and benefieient be changed
10 Why should suffrage be restricted
a Government here, as has been ei
=. timated. may not have realized to I
all we have desired and demanded
~ but it has conferred more than hs
IT deem usual in other nations.
'e 1t is barely possible that some {
os our larger cities may have formed
times exceptions to this general mi
ir n%ifcence. In them the Distribute
of property is not so unifofm. Thel
1t has been sometimes the policy
the majority to over tax and oppre.
the minority. In this state, hoy
III ever, property holders are alread
,n protected by constitutional tax lin
nd tations and necessity of obtaining
wv t~wo-thirds voter Heretofore whe
er ever such q disposition has bee
d. manifested it has been connects
IN with corruption, against which stri
a., ter laws and sterner enforcement
them will prove o more ~eficacio,
remedy in the future than restrict.
by suffrage, which leads usually to di
nd affection and where populations a
u not restrained by force to conspira,