The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1880-06-18

| where naturalized citizens who were the
holders of real property have been disfran-
chised because of the condemnation of their
real property for city purposes. In the case
of the Brooke street condemnation for the
use of the city of Providence, there were
forty.three persons previously entitled to
vote who became disfranchised under the law
when the tract was condemned for city uses.
| In this case these men were denied the
privilege of voting before the title to the
properly passed out of them to the city, and
before they had received their pay for it.
Repeated efforts have been made to secure
the alteration of the constitution of Rhode
Island iu regard to property qualifications
for foreign bora citizens, but they have al
ways been defeated. Special instances were
shown where state senators and representa-.
tives have voted to submit the question of
the extension of suffrage to the vote of the
people, and then have done everything in
their power at the polls to defeat it. In the
case of the submission of the question of the
extension of suffrage to soldiers and sailors
who had served in Rhode Island regiments
during the war, submitted during the presi
dental canvass of 1876, the testimony shows
that it was made a party question at the
polls.
Witnesses testify that minority of her
people has ruled Rhode Island for more than
fifteen years past, and the opposition to the
extension of suffrage came mainly from
those now in power, who fear the loss of
place that would follow.
Your committee believe that there are
good grounds for the complain Is made, that
the government of Rhode Island, under its
present constitution, is nearer an oligarchy
than democracy. The disfranchiseE.en of
so large a percentage of her people by sys-
tematic effort and rigidly enforced statutes,
the small number of votes cast for president
at hotly contested election, the small num-
ber of votes cast for members of Congress in
four successive elections, when coatrasted
with the number cast in other states at the
same elections, the choice of members of
congress, governors and presidents by the
votes of one out of every twenty of the peo-
Pile, whilst other states cast one out of every
five of theirs, the maintenance OF the rule of
three ffths for the amendment Of the consti-
ton, by which the will of the majority has
been twice defeated, all compel us to recog
nize Rhode Island as different in her govern.
ment, her institutions and her policy from
all her sister commonwealths in the Union,
and lead us to grasp at any provision of the
federal constitution which, fairly construed,
will grant us power to enforce. for her peo.
pie, "a republican form of government"
by which we mean government by the
whole people, for the whole people Of the
state
1t was urged upon your committee with
great learning and logic, that these provis-
ions of the constitution and laws, with the
practice under them were in effect an oligar-
chical government, and not one of repub-
lican form, and that under article i, section
/, of the constitution of the United States, it
was the duty of congress to so legislate, as
to compel a change in the rule of suffrage
by the state, which would cause its people
to have equal privileges with those of other
states.
1t is undoubtedly true, that this authority
given to the federal government supposes
and recognizes pre- existing government of
the form which is to be guaranteed and the
form must be substantially republican. A
state cannot change republican for an ar
istocratic or monarchial form of govern
ment, but it may substitute another republ-
can form for that which existed at its ad
mission to the Union. and the clause of
guaranty by the United States, is applicable
to the latter as it was to the former. As the
charter stood when Rhode Island entered the
Union, no one could be a voter without own
ing real estate or being the eldest son OF
such real estate owner. This rule applied
equally to native and foreign born citizens.
By her constitution of 1912, she has enlarg-
ed the right as to native citizens, and re-
striCted it as o those of foreign birth. The
change is one which gives rise to inequality
in the exercise of the right as between the
different classes of citizens, but widens the
field in its general scope. The practice un-
, der the added right, in the opinion of your
committee, is vicious and demoralizing, and
the discrimination against foreign born citi.
zens is ant-republcan ir its character, bu'
the form of the government of Rhode Is
land is still republican, aud cannot be inter
fered with by us. The whole question il
one of the right and power of the state tC
regulate the rule of suffrage, as it affects
' presidential electors and members of Con
4 gress, This power and right under the con
! stitution of the United States is with tn,
/ states and not under the control of Con
s gress. The federal system bases its yer.
existence upon the rights of the states tC
y regulate the rule of suffrage.
/, The existence of the federal government
$ depends upon the existence of the state gov
ernments. Without existence in their en-
: tirety it absolutely falls into chaos. 1t can
= not continue itself for en- hour There ar
h three great parts of the federal governmen
If the legislative, the executive, and the ju
4. dicial. The legislative has two branches
I the house and the senate. There can be n
l. house of representatives, of the Uuite
% States after the state governments have enc
d ed. The government of the states must eS
s. ist or the popular branch OF Congress fails
ID exist. This IS as certain as it is that thel
is is constitution of the United States.
Y; the constitution of the United States IL
d; regulation as.to suffrage is in these words;
N "The house of representatives shall
'e composed of members chosen every secor
ut year by the people of the several states, a,
c. the electors in each State shall hare the guai
fcations requisite for electors of the most NJ
n merous branch Of the State legislature"
Mt The electors for the house of represents
n; tiyes of the United States are those who a
n qualified electors for the legislatures of Il
b. states. Qualified how? Qualified by whor