Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-02-03
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SAVANNAH, January 31.-EditOr Morn
ing Netes: Our recent county and city
elections developed prominently certain
existing facts in connection with them,
demonstrating, incontestibly, the necessi-
ty for reforms to protect the purity Of
the ballot. The first point for considera-
ton is, the comparatively few voters
who claimed their right to participate in
the management of our public affairs.
In Savannah there should be about five
thousand voters; of whom only twenty
six hundred registered; and of these
registered eight hundred and fifty, near
ly one-third, did not vote; thus leaving
the control of our municipal interests,
financial, commercial, industrial and SAM.
tary, to the dictatorship of about seventeen
hundred and fifty voters. Complaints are
made ''that our affairs are in the
hands of the rabble." Well if it be so,
whose fault is itH Not of the rabble
certainly, for they live by elections, and
are always at such times in the market
for the highest bidder. That is under
stood. Who is at fault then ? Unmis-
takably, the voters who do not register
If they throw away their votes as some
thing worthless, they cannot, with any
justice or claim to sympathy, complain
if ragamufln picks up their political
castoffs and turns them to account. The
theory of universal suffrage in this
country is qualified, not absolute, and the
conflicting interests of politics encourage
its extension and oppose its restriction.
In consequence, every qualified voter of
intelligence should regard his political
privilege in the light of valuable power,
and not treat it with contempt, as is
practically the case when not put to use.
Universal suffrage is with us, we re-
peat, a qualified right, aud should there
fore be rigidly guarded from the attacks
of fraud. The first movement for its
protection is a good registry OF every
one entitled to vote. This is the portal
of the temple of freedom through which
none should be allowed to pass in who
have not the right to do so. How can
an honest registry be secured becomes
then question for discussion: and now
is the time to debate the necessity for
good registry laws, county and city, and
their composition, that, when the Legisla-
ture shall re.cOpvene, the mind of our
people may be known, and measures de-
vised to give 1t practical shape.
We propose that registry be made
under commission of three freeholders
to be chosen by the people at alternate
elections for county officers. and who
shall not be, or become candidates for
any public office during the period for
which elected as registry commissioner;
who shall make registry, on application,
of all persons entitled to vote, fur
nishing certificate of the registry to
those found qualified. which certificates
shall be called for at elections by the
managers thereof, and returned, with
the ballots cast under them, to the regis
| try commissioners, who shall count and
| compare the same and declare the poll,
| furnishing certificates of election to the
successful candidates, who shall be
| qualified on these certificates as the law
shall direct; registry to be made within
the year preceding the month before
an election, when the registry list shall
be made out, verified under oath by all
Of the commissioners before the Clerk of
the Superior Court, with whom it shall
be left for file and reference in his Office,
certified copies of the same being fur
nished, as may be required, to the mana
gers of the elections by the board of
commissioners.
SUCH, Mr.. Editor, is an outline OF
what seems to me to be needed to secure
our county and city from the corruption
attending the ballot, at present, and /
hope other gentlemen may take part in
ventilating the subject. 1t is one Of deep
and general interest to us all. for the
security of personal property, and espe-
cially for our common property, "the
good name and credit of our county
AID city" H. W. c.