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


next Monday morning, and be CON
cluded the Saturday evening follow
ing Under the rules adopted by the
Commission, the names of all
those WI no do not appear before the
sub-regis.rars 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
voter once registered is alwaysregis-
tered, provided he does not change
his residence. However, an cleo
tion having been ordered, it is pre-
sumed the Commission saw no other
NJ 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 1t might
have been difficult, if not iIapOssi-
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 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
anybody else. The Commission has
prescribed an oath for those desir-
ing registration and if the oath be
correctly framed those who cannot
take it cannot lawfully exercise the
right of suffrage so long as the Ed
munds act stands upon the statute
book, and has not been declared
void by competent tribunal. The
election of a delegate to Congress is
worth something to the people of
Utah, and it is extremely i'm.
pOrtant that they should elect one |
1t is furthermore essential that the
election should be conducted in
such a manner as to give rise TO no |
question as to the legality of the |
voting. The delegate ought not to |
be handicapped by fight for the
place after the ballots have been |
nor should there be occa-
sion for questioning the legality of |
the vote. If the people fully I'M
derstand the determined, desperate
nature of the attempt to overthrow
them, they will be extremely eau
tious about giving the slightest
ground or excuse for taking advan-
age of them. Those who are fight
ng the majority class here would
ike nothing better than some show
IF croOkedneSs or irregulArity that
nj ght be made pretext for perpe-
srating a greater wrong and rob-
Ding the people Of another Of their
rights. The taking of the registra-
ton, oath falsely, the swearing in
Of unlawful votes, or some other
unwise proceeding :Oight be con
strueG into an excuse for raidipg
an election or counting out enough
votes to elect a minority candidate.
At no time is it p 'oper or right to |
vote u1lawfully, and in the present |
instance should any attempt it they |
would not only injure themselves,
but endanger their friends and the
community at large. 1t is sincerely
hoped that mo person who is r
clearly entitled to vote will r ..a.,s
himself for registration. u $500 y
is in DOUBT as to his 1sht. IN the
premises, after req ,dns the laws and
the commas ,.eaeE's rules, it will be
On easy ..Assssr for him TO have the
que StsOn determined. At the same
, time nobody who can lawfully ex-
erciSe the privilege of voting should
fail to take the necessary steps
to do so. Let everybody
who can vote see that he
is registered next week, and let no
body who is not'entitled to vote try
to deceive the registrars, or in any
way endeavOr to get his name or
the list. Then when the polls are
opened let legal voters cast theiI
ballots, and give the peoples nomi.
nee not only large majority, but g
clear title which cannot be set aside