The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-09-07
LAWFUL VOTES ONLY.

~ L
cluded the Saturday evening follow
ing. Under the rules adopted by the
Commission, the names of all
those Who do not appear before the
sub registrars and subscribe the
oath required to be taken, will be
stricken from the lists. The order
seems somewhat harsh, in view Of
the fact that the law implies that a
voter once registered is alwaysr regis
tered, provided he does not change
his residence. However, an cleo
tion having been ordered, it is pre-
sumed the Commission saw no other
N cans then those adopted Of purg-
ing the lists of those declared in
eligible to vote by the law under
which the gentlemen are acting,
and without such purging it might
have been difficult, if not iLnpOssi-
BILE, to confine the voting to lawful
votes. 1t is not our purpose to find
fault with the Commission, the de-
sire being rather to assist it in
the effort to prohibit wrongful
voting. Every person who has
sufficient intelligence to vote under
standingly, will know after reading
the law and the Commissions rules
whether he OF she is entitled to vote.
He will know whether he is a citi-
zen of the United States, if he has
resided in the country long enough |
to acquire the right to vote, and if
any law declares him disfranchised
on account of any of his acts. He
will know all the facts better than
else. The Commission has
prescribed an oath for those desir-
ms registration and if the oath be
framed those who cannot
AXE it cannot lawfully exercise the
light of suffrage so long as the Ed
nunds act stands upon the statute
,OOk, and has not been declared
,Oid by competent tribunal. The ;
lection of a delegate to Congress is
worth something to the people of
Utah, and it is extremely i'm.
Ortant that they should elect one
t is furthermore essential that the
lection should be conducted in
lch manner as to give rise TO no :
uestiOn as to the legality of the
citing. The delegate ought not to
e handicapped by d fight for the
lace after the ballots have been \
)unted, nor should there be occa- l
OF for questioning the legality of q,
lie vote. If the people fully I'M g.
erstand the determined, desperate q,
sture of the attempt to overthrow SC
EN-, they will be extremely eau CT
)us about giving the slightest g
ound or excuse for taking advan- =
&c of them. Those who are fight
2 the majority class here would
e nothing better than some show
crookedneSs or irregulArity that n
ght be made a pretext for perpe- y
ting greater wrong and rob- be
lg the people of another of their Ia 1e
hts. The taking of the registra- 2,
n oath falsely, the swearing in mi
unlawful votes, or some other -
wise proceeding suight be con-
ueG into an excuse for raidipg =
election or counting out enough
tes to elect a minority candidate.
no time is it p 'oper or right to
-e u1lawfully, and in the present N
taacO should any attempt it they RI
uld .Ict only injure themselves, II
endanger their friends and the lS
immunity at large. 1t is sincerely 5
ped that mo person VINO is IN
arly entitled to vote will r ..s,,t I
nself for registration. i .S1,.o.du
n doubt as to his debit. IN the 81
'mises' after reP ding the laws and :
commlSS ,.eaeS's rules, it will be
easy >aSsssr for him to have the
4. stson determined. at the same :
ne nobody who can lawfully ex- l
else the privilege of voting should I
il to take the necessary steps 1
do so. Let everybody q
ho can vote see that hei q
registered next week, and let ne n
'dy who is not,entitled to vote try 3 .
deceive the registrars, or in any
ay endeay0T to get his name on 81
e list. Then when the polls are :
'ened let legal voters cast their
.llots, and give the peoples nomi-
se not only large majority, but a
ear title which cannot be set aside.