The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1882-11-03
QUALIFICATIONS or ELECTORS.

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The most important local consideration IN
the present campaign Is whether the thres
hundred or four hundred transient workmen
now employed on railroad construction In
this county are eligible voters under the
election laws ofMontana. The qualifications
are specified under the following:
That oil male citizens of the United States
above the age Of twenty-one years, and oil
male persons Of the same age, who shall have
declared their intention Of becoming citizens
and who, under existing laws of the United
States, may ultimately become citizens
thereof, shall be deemed electors Of this
Territory, and shall be entitled to vote for
Delegate 10 Congress and for Territorial, dis
tict, county, precinct and municipal ofiers.
Provided, they shall hare RESIDED IN the
Territory sic months, and In the county aehere
they may offer TO cote, thirty days next pre-
ceding the day Of election:
First. 1t Is absolutely essential the voter
shall be male citizen or one who has "de-
clared his intention" and Is eligible to cIti-
zenship.
Second. He must have been In the Terri.
tory since May Z, 1882, and the county where
he propo>es to vote for county officers since
the 7th Of October, 1882.
Third. "He shall have resided" during
the time named In the Territory and county.
No one can question the improperly oftran
sient people interfering In our local elections
OF claim the law was purposely framed to
enable several thousand transient railroad
employees to come upon us, and with agreat
irresponsible, indifferent, non-tax-paying and
non-intsrested balance of power control aud
direct our local elections, naming our repre-
sentation In Congress, our Legislature, our
Prosecuting Attorneys and our county off,
GERS. II Is either an exceptional condition
Of affairs not In contemplation by our law
makers, or else it was their intent that the
law should prevent such interference. As .
matter Of fact, a citizen employed only TEN.
porarily In . community, not identified with
1t, not intending to remain In 1t while the
officers to be voted for are serving, and hav-
Ing his property interests, his home, and
residence, and eligibility elsewhere Is not
acting in good faith toward the people among
whom he Is temporarily sojourning, In at
to vote. But some will not
recognize this unwritten rule of right and rs
a result we presume many will offer their
votes. The result 10, the "qualification"will
turn upon the technical legal right of the
person and this depends greatly on what is
legally meant by the term shall hare re.
sided.
In Bouvier's Law Dictionary, accepted we
believe as authority, the definition Of "resi-
dence" is given I" Personal presence in a .fred
and permanent abode" And citing Kent
the further definition Is given "Residenc
indicates pe,aanency Of occupation, as dis
tinct from lodging or boarding, or Temporal
ry occupation, but docs not include so much
as domicil, which requires an intention con-
tinued with residence"
II this 10 the law definition of the word
residence" and we have every reason to
believe 1t Is, we submit 1t to the honest judg-
ment of many transient railroad men, whether
they believe themselves even by the techni-
cal legal wording Of the law, Is entitled to
vote. At best II Is . very doubtful privilege
they will exercise. personal presence In =
fixed and permanent abode" and "perma-
nency Of occupation as distinct from lodging,
or boarding, or temporary occupation" can
not be claimed by many of the railroad
builders In Montana, and there are heavy
penalties for Illegal voting. We believe 1t
the duty of oil such transient voters to re.
frain from attempting to vote, and that sll
good citizens should act In accord In pre-
serving the Integrity Of the ballot and the
right Of resident citizens only, as defined by
law, to vote. This Is fair and square oil
around.