Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-12-31

To the Editor of the Free Press:
Clinton county, n. Y, formerly taking
high rank for the intelligence and inteP
rity of her citizens has now fallen from her
place. This the last census shows as well
AS her current social, civil and religious
life She now ranks low in respect to IL
literacy and the moral life. Not that the
families to the manor born have so much
degenerated, though there has been some
lowering of intelligence in their case. In
nuences that have come upon them from
without rather than anything that has
sprung up in these families have caused
this decline. a large class of foreigners
has flowed into the towns of the county,
particularly the frontier agricultural
towns and the manufacturing and mining
districts.
The introduction and large increase of
this population has introduced an entirely
new element into our social and civil, 20
/ ltical and religious life. The ele-
ment swells rapidly not only by
birth but by emigration 1t iacili,
tates the organization on our sou OF
Fenian movements to raid Canada invade
Ireland, and in this way veX our own GOV
eminent and equally that of england and
ot her nations. Also the organization Of
the strike" in New York aud other
cities "boycott' throughout the country,
and "anarchism' in Chicago.
The constitution of our government
enables these foreigners at once to become
citizens of the republic. They avail them
selves of this privilege almost universal
/ ly. Whatever may be said of the meri >
or dement's OF our system OF government
/ it is peculiarly adapted to create in this
| class of citizens quick interest in poll
] : tp ,rit bab n tp
| the balance Of power. And this the sooner
because there are not a few among the
| weather. native citizens who are so en-
gagged in money making and in business
that they have no time to trouble them
selves about politics. Others there are
who from a genuine distaste of crowd
and noisy controversy hold themselves
aloof from all political gatherings But
these newly made citizens, especially IN
the cities and large towns, are almost in
variably there and among the leading pol
itlclans at the primary meeting. Now
every election, every political trial OF
strength has its real beginning at these
primary meetings And these meetings
are largely if not mainly attended by
this humber class OF voters. From the
primary meeting and nominating com
mttee to the fall elections and the choice
OF the president, the system Is so adjusted
as to take these voters along with 1t. "Ihe
Irish working man. as Justin Mccarthy
IN his History of Our own Times, says
"who had never, probably. had any chance
of giving Il vote in his own country, finds
himself in the United states a person OF
political power, whose vote is cOurted by
the leaders of diiTent parties and whost
sentiments are tlattered by repullers
OF opposing factions"
These causes and the popularity of our
government and this mixed population
have all worked in this county till votes
are now bought and sold almost as openly
and freely as any commodity. We heard
it calculated and computed how many
could be bought In the several towns OF
the county Just before the last election
Two hundred could be bought in this
town, eight hundred" in that and so on
throughout the county, amounting To
very large proportion, II fourth or fifth OF
the whole. This hardly need say, sends
men to the capital, Albany, to make law.
which bind all, and, in not few cases
Cypress all, and are calling upon the clti
zens. But how to remedy this state OF
things, not confined to this county OF
State, tins is the problem which not New
York only, but Vermont and all the State,
and citizens, have an interest in WORKING
90 solve, ! may say word or two upon
this problem in another communicatl On.
a. ID. b.