Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-11-09
ohily POST INTEluGENcER.



what strain upon republissn inssl
tutious has Presidential election -
sorns. How tense the cords which bold
in Mace he psace, order and safety o.
the vast population Of this great rsprs-
lie, are qzadrsnniaIly drawn WHIST
Great nation have ws become ConsrsH
sbs contest Just decided at The ballot
box with that of only forty years ago.
Then the total vote was lsss than z.sv's-
600. This year it viii mot fan mucn
short Of 100000. Then Henry Gay
ana James x. Polk were opponents
nov James @. Blaine and Grover Oisve-
land. Then bus two States west Of ne
Mississippi River had been admitted
Now there are between that great riyes
ana the paei6s ossan eleven great sno
prosperous States, holding . pspuiss'on
mush more than half - large - that o.
the whole United States At that com
csrativeiy recent date. We are sfuiy
great nation.
But are we not trusting much 20 for
trps. much 10 fate out Of the ballots
lost deposited, how large . portion have
been cast by the ignorant, the debasea
the vic. the corrupt. We have . liberal
franchise 10 these United States. Under
our laws The uneducated and unassim-
Hated alien born, the refuse OF tbs vast
European hives, the criminal, the VI
cious. the Adventures, the deprayed,
each and ell the seIf-sxpetristed or BAN
ishsd paupsrs from the Sums OF Euro
pean cities, can after a short residence
and in equal privilege With tbs native
born, unite to choose this eountry's
rulers, unite 10 select 10 Law makers.
combine 10 order what shall be the pol
icy, both foreign and domestic, of Q
mighty nation.
Is II mot tempting fate? The vote Of
each one of the mighty multitude Of
the criminal and vile who swarm and
tester IN the great and crowded cities Of
the East, counts one. The vote Of the
vaarant, Just released from the chain
gang, 10 equally potent with that OF the
educated and orderly citizen. The idle
and the vicious actually hold tbs balance
Of power between the two great parties;
that \ 10 say they are in sufficient mum
Der 10 Determine result II massed In
disprcportion on either side. The trust
OF the nation 10 In the aggregate intel
Iigsnoe and the loyalty of It's citizens.
But win these always be sufficient 10
control the lawless, the ignorant, the
dsprgvsd? viii the warfare Of orr
free schools upon ignorance; Of our
moral forces up1n vice, continue 10 be
Sufficiently successful for the safety Of
OR political institutions? Must there
not soon come time when the doors of
citizenship will need to be better guard
cd; when the franchise shall DO sur
rounded with additional safeguards;
whom strieter tests for Its exercise must
be instituted and enforcedY These
questions crowd upon the thoughtful
mind. AT each recurring election they
assume greater proportions, and chal-
lenee profounder interest. The nation
grows ponderous. Interests of States.
localities, races and individuals, clash
and struggle for the mastery. The gov
eminent is complex; so also is the pop
ulation which holds II in existence.
The popular heart 10 patriotic; love OF
our free institutions holds high place Ia
the great multitude. Bot there must
be, ere long, some added guards placed
over the elective franchise. There must
~slso be. In our elections. something be-
sides the spoils Of Office TO contend for.
In the late national contest there has
been little else.