The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-04-05
nrsrRaneH1sEn CITIZENS.
From the NeA York San.


The Rhode Island senate has passed q
resolution asking the supreme court of
that state for its opinion on the question
whether the general assembly has the
constitunial right to call convention for
the purpose of forming a new constitut.
ion to DE voted npon by persons qualified
as electors under the present constitution
or by persons who may be elected under
the new constitution. 1t is probable
! that the friends of an extension of the
suffrage and of equal rights might rally
around William Spraeue. The republi-
can ring is willing TO allow the party 10
record itself in favor of the popular
movement 1t feels almost sure of CON
| trolling constitutional convention in
the improbable event of such body he
ing called together
| It is said that many democrats are de-
serting the Sprague ticket They are not
especially fond of the republican rulers
of the state, but they are afraid of Mr.
| Sprague. They are afraid that the state
viii lose if it ever passes out of the hands
of wealthy men. They cannot bring
| themselves 10 favor the extension of the
| ballot mill operatives. They arc afraid
that the democratic party will grow to
| large for wealthy and respectable persons
| IKE themselves 10 control. lneY KNOW
that thousands of work ingmen, of labor
ers of foreign birth, would see with the
greatest enthusiasm the election of Spra-
que, although unable by their votes To
contribute to it, The present constitu-
tion il a nice thing for the few, and
these undemocrats hope to keep it so
So they take no pains to conceal their
hostility to SpIague and the movement
which he represents. They wish that
Rhode Island shall continue to be COVER
ned in the same short sighted and narrow
way that she has followed during too
much of her history since the revolution.
The course Of Rhode Island during the
closing years of the confederation was
unpatriotic and selfish in the extreme.
She did not adopt the federal constitution
till 1870. She refused to give up her
colonial charter till Dorr, at the head of a
great popular movement, which is still
called a rebellion. wrung constitution
from reluctant oligarchy. That con-
stitution. adopted in 1912, met at the
time with universal approval as means
of ending internal difficulties of long
standing But it contains unjust discri-
limitations and restrictions which ought to
be done away with. 1t is disgrace TO
the state that they have been allowed to
exist so long.
Article II of the Rhode Island con
stitution defines the qualifications of an
elector By section / of this article
Every male citizen of the United
States of the age of twenty one Years, |
who has had his residence and home in |
thi state for one year, and in the town
or city in which he may claim right to
vote six months, preceding the time of
nj -b,Yi 4
essed in his own right of real estate in
such town or city of the value of an
hundred and thirty-four dollars. over and
and above all encumbrances, or which
shall rent for seven dollars per annum
over and above any rent reserved, or the |
interest of encumbrances there on. being
an estate in fee simple. fee-tail for the
life of any person. or any estate in re
version or remainder, the conveyance
of which estate, if by deed shall have
been recorded at least ninety days, shall
hereafter have right to vote at the ele
ction of alt civil officers, and on all quest
ions so long As h continues so qnali
fed"
Section of the same article shows
that preceding section is simply a dis
against foreign born citizens:
Every male native citizen of the
United States, who has the residence
herein required, and whose name shall
be registered in the town where he resides
on or before the last day of December in
the year next preceding the time of his
voting and who shall show by legal proof
that he has for and within the year next |
preceding the time H. shall offer to vote !
paid IL tax or taxes assessed against him
in any town or city in this state to the
amount Of one dollar shall have |
right to vote
The remainder of this section embed
les that theory of municipal government
which is SO dear to the heart OF Mr. |
Stcrne:
NO person shall at any time be allow
ed to vote in the election of the city
of the city of Providence or up
on any proposition to impose tax, or
for the expenditure of money in any
town or city. unless he shall within the
year next preceding have paid a tax as
sessed upon his property therein, valued
at least at one hundred and thirty -four
dollars"
There are other things in the Rhode |
Island constitution which ought TO he |
such as the absence of the APP
pointive power of the governor. But the
first change must be the striking out of |
these restrictions upon the right of suff-
rage.
A large portion of the population of
Rhode Island is engaged in manufactor-
les. Many of them are of foreign birth.
These persons do not own real estate. /
They contribute greatly to the prosperity |
Of the state but have no voice in ruling
1t. These men rally around Sprague as
they would around any man whom they
believe TO be hostile to knot of men
who keep them out of the privileges of
freemen.