Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-11-01
He drops his vote for the opposing can.
didate, and Your ballot is cancelled.
His Ignorance Weighs as Much as Your

difficulty be mended? By laws of COM
pulsory education fully executed. Until
man can read the Declaration OF Inde-
pendence, and the Constitution OF the
United States. and the first chapter Of
Genesis, and write an application for
citizenship with his own hand, and cal
culate how much the interest of the
United States debt is, and bound the
States OF the Union, and define the diff
ference between a Republic, a limited
monarchy and despotisin, he is no. fit
to cast vote at any poll from Key
West to Alaska. There may have been
excuse for ignorance once, but not now,
in this day of common school education
which makes knowledge
As Free as the Fresh Air of Heaven.
In England and Wales in 1872 there
were 100000 children that ought to
have been in school, bnt the average
attendance was ,333, 600, about so per
cent, and only about five per cent. OF
the whole number got anything worthy
Of an education. Much of that foreign
ignorance is added to our American ig.
noranca, aud hundreds oil thousands Of
people who will vote next Tuesday are
no more competent TO decide upon the
questions before us than to lee
ture upon the volcanic disturb
ances of The moon. 1t is a national
qualification 10 let them voe. | 60 Tor
the passage OF laws which, after giving
the people sufficient years OF warning
shall make ignorance a crime, and go
for an examining board which shall sit
Il, h,, a. lao al "a -
is,ration and decide whether man has
enough intelligence to be one OF the
monarchs who shall decide the destiny
of this nation. The Ark OF the Cove
nant is in danger.
Another enemy OF The ballot box is
Spurious Voting.
The one thousand scoundrels who
have already been discovered in this
civ as having registered their names lor
the vote next Tuesday, when they are
found out TO have no residence here,
NAV give an intimation OF what is being
done all over the Union. II in the best
city Of the country there be 1000, what
must be the state of things in less fortu-
nate cities? Over in that city OF New
York, | warrant there are at least 10000
names on the books OF registration
which require inspection. What
grand thing is this system OF r'glstra.
ton. Without it election day is ma
tonal farce. Bnt what a sad condition
OF things tha. in the State OF Maine the
two parties charged upon each other the
Outrage OF the ballot box. The law
needs sharper twist for the neck OF
this horde OF repeaters. They need
more than a slight line and imprlson-
mcnt, for they
Attempt the Assassination Of the Re-
public
They who with unlawful hands touched
the ancient ark oi the covenant dropped
dead; and all spurious yo;ers who touch
this ark OF the American covenant de-
serve determination.
Another enemy OF the ballot box IS
Intinidstion.
Great corporations often compel their
employees TO vote as they desire.
II the head man be an ardent Repub!i-
can or Democrat he intlmidates in some
delicate way. "NOw you vote the
ticket that | vote or You will be frozen
out Of this establishment" There are
thousands oi eases where the vote OF Ia.
borcrs is thus iG,imidatcd. Now that Is
simply damnable. Ii the man whom
YOU employ in your store or factory
does his work well and gives equivalent
in work .or wages paid him, he does all
YOU have right to expect OF him. lie
sells you his work, not his political or
religious principles. You are too wise
TO plainly say: 81 discharge you be-
cause YOU voted as | did not want you
to vote" but you will call him in some
day and find fault with lis work, or you
viii have an uncle or an aunt or a
cousin or nephew 90 whom you felt
bound un,,cr all the circumstances to
give situation. But he knows why
YOU DISCHARGED him and God knows.
You are
Not Fit 70, American c .tizenship.
usin. such intimidation. lido not won.
der at the vphcmence OF Lord Chlei
Jrstir" Holt, Oi England, when he said;
LET al. men come in and vote fairly. 1T
il 10 support one man or the other to
danv mans vote. Ii such an action
cumes 10 be tried before me, will direct
the Jury To make him pay well for it,"
l. { there be 10 interference with the
ri.ht Of suffrage either through mob or
military or monied despotism. Look
cut how you oyersEadow the ark oi the
Amer can covenant with corp rate and
capta,istiC intimidation.
Another enemy OF the ballot box is
Bribery.
1t will never he known how many thou.
sands and millions OF dollars are raised
10 carry IN election. Next Tuesday there
vii, be nei.hhorhOods and cities where
money will be paid out, go many dollars
FOR so many votes. Since tie founda-
ton o. the government this is the dis
.rarc OF our elections. Men are often
nominated for uilicc with reference to
tie amount of money they can put into
Tie canvass, ot command from their
friends. Again and again Congressman
and Senator's and Governors and Presl.
dents have bought their way into OF.
fee. Son e.imes the price paid is the
Promise OF Official Position.
Wie,d your elOquence on my sIde anu
then when get to be Presl lent you
shall be Secretary OF State or Minister to
Enuland or Postmaster General. Make
me Mayor, / VIII put you In tha water
board. Make me Governor an you
shailba Surgeon General. So it i often
the case that by the time can !ldate
takes his chair oi office, he is NOR gagged
from the crown OF his head to the sole Of
his foot with pledges and the tho isand
office seekers who 90 to ALBANY or
Washington are begging for pos
that were filled long before election day.
There are two long rows OF rail fence,
ore to Albany and the other 10 Wash
in.ton. At the time OF the State and
National nominations there are many
thousands OF citizens seated astride
these fences about equally poised, and
they gradually get down on this side or
that, according TO the politi al induce
ments offered. Bribery, whether by
money or preferred Office, is debasing 10
those who give aud those who receive,
is the disgrace OF the ballot box and
sacrelege against tn American ark oil
the covenant.
Another enemy OF the ballot box IS
the
Rowdy and Drunken Caucus
The ballot box is robbed OF its right "t
decision, for in the back part OF some