Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1889-12-20
No. 20.

| labor of proving their existence. for all ad
NIT 1t. That they are terrible ON the in
crease all must concede.
ManlfeStly If the motives of all our Citi
zenS were unSeltSh and patriotic, and i
they sought in political action only theil
share of the advantage accruing from the
advance of our country at all points to
wards her grand destiny, there would be
no place or occasion for the peryerSion ot
our suffrage. Thus the Inauguration ot
the intimidation and corruption of oul
voters may be justly charged to Sel6st
| schemes seeking success through politica
| action. But these evils have
been neglected by honest men dis.
| guSted with all politics. EN-.
| deavor; they have been tolerated
| by respectable men who, in weakness OF
patriotic sentiment, have regarded them
as only phases of Shrewd political manage
ment, and they have been actually en-,
| oouraged by the honorS which have been
bestowed upon those who boast of their use
OF such agencies III aid of party Supre-
macy.
Many of us therefore, may take to our.
| selves share of blame, when we find con.
fronting us these perils which threaten the
| eNlStanCe of our free institutions. the pre-
Servatlon of our national honor and the
| perpetuity of our country. The condition
annexed to the founding of our government
upon the suffrage of the people was that
the suffrage should be free and pure. We
consented to abide by the honest prepon-
dercnce of political opinion, but we did
| not consent that free vote. expressing
| the intelligent and thoughtful sentiment
| of the voter, should be balances by a vote
of intimidation and fear, or by an unclean.
| corrupt vote diSgracefully bought and
! treacherously sold.
Let us look with degree of pity and
charity upon those who yield to fear and
| intimidation III the exercise of their right
Of suffrage. Though they ought not thus
to yield, We cannot forget as against their
free ballot, they see in the scale, their con
tlnued employment the comforts of their
homes and the maintenance of their fam
lies, We need not stife our scorn and
contempt for the wretch who basey sells
his vote, and who for a hribe betrays his
trust of citizenship. And vet the thought
will lntrude itself that he but follows in a
low and vulgar fashion the example of
those who proceed upon the theory that
political action may be turned to private
gain.
But whether we pity or whether we
hate, our betrayal is none the less COM
plete; nor will either pity or hate restore
our birthright. But we know that when
pOlitica. selishness is destroyed our
dangers will disappear; and though
the way to its stronghold
may be long and weary, we will fol
low lighting as we go. There will be
no surrender nor will there be desertions
frN,, l., CnlE.I,,,s.
tion nave not vet achieved lasting tri-
umph and their bold defiance will but
hasten the day of their destruction.
As we struggle on and confidently invite
a direct conflict with these entrenched foes
of our political safety, we have not failed
to see another hope which has manifested
itself to all the honest people of the land.
1t teaches them that though they may not
Immediately destroy at their source the
evils which atfiict them, they may check
their malign influence and guard them
selves against their baneful results. 1t
assures them that if political
virtue and rectitude can not at once be
thoroughly restored to the republic. the
activity of baser elements may be dis
couraged. 1t inspires them with vigilent
watchfuIneSs and a determination to pre-
vent as far as possible their treachergus
betrayal by those who are false to their
obligations OF citizenship.
This hope, risen like the star III the
east, has fixed the gaze of our patriotic
fellow -countryman; and everywhere in
our busy marts of trade and on our farms
in our cities and in our villages-in the
dwellings of the rich and in the homes of
the pOOr-n our universities and in our
workshOps-in our banking houses and in
the ranks of inexorable toil-;hey greet
| with enthusiastic acclaim the advent of
ballot reform.
There are no leaders in this cause.
Those who seem to lead the movement are
but swept to the front by the suging
| force of patriotic sentiment. 1t rises far
above partisanship and only the needless,
the sordid and the depraved refuse to join
in the crusade.
This reform is predicated upon the cool
deliberation of political selhshness in its
| endeavor to prostitute our suffrage to the
purpose of private gain. 1t is rightly sup
| posed that corruption of the voter is en-
| tered upon with such business calculation
| that the corruptor will only pay bribe
when he has occular proof that the suff-
rage he has bargalned for is cast in his
interest. So too it is reasonably expected
| that if the employe or laborer is at the
| time of casting his ballot removed from
| the immediate control of his employer, the
| futility of fear and intimidation will lead
| to their abandonment
The changes demanded by this reform
| in the formalities surrounding the exercise
| of the privilege of suffrage, has given rise
to real or pretended solicitude for tbs
| rights of our voters; and the fear has beer
expressed that inability on the part OF
| electors to conform to the requirements OF
! the proposed change, might produce great
! inconvenience and in some cases result in
| disfranchisement. It. has even been sug
| gested that the Inauguration of the new
| plan might encroach upon constitutional
| guarantees.
| 1t will not do TO accuse of hostility t.
| the reform all those who present these OBJ
| jections but it is not amiss to inspect then
ranks for enemies in disguise. Though
| the emergency which is upon us is full Of
danger and though we sadly need relief
| all rights should be scrupulousy preserved
But there should be no shuffiing. and nC
| frivolous objections should be tolerated
When dwelling is in flames we use nC
set phrase of speech to warn its inmates
and no polite and courtly touch TO etfec
their rescue Experience has often dem
onstrated how quickly obstacles which
| seemed plausible. if not convincing. wheI
| urged against measure of reform. art
| dissipatsd by the test of trial and how
readily new order of things adjusts itsel
to successful use.
remember the inauguration of another
reform; and have seen it grow and ex
! tend, until it had become firmly established
In our laws anu practice IL is to-day oul
| greatest safeguard against the cOmplett
and disgraeeful degradation Of our public
| service 1t had its enemies and all O.
them are not yet sileneed Those openll
and secretly unfriendiy, said in the begin
ming that the scheme was impracticabl.
and unnecessary: that 1T created an offic,
holding class; that il established burden
! some and delusIve tests for entry in tht
| public service which should be open to all
that it put In the place of real merit ant
efficiency, scholastic requirements; that il
limited the discretion Of those charged
with the selection Of public employees and
that it was unconstitutional. But its vic
tory came wrought by the force Of enlight
| ened public sentiment and upon its tria
| every objection which had been urged
against it was completely discredited
As ii mas been with ciyii-service reform
70 it will be with ballot reform. except
! that the coming victory will be more
speedily achieved and viii be more com
plete.
And as the grand old state Of Massa-
| ch41satfz was frreroozt tn Sdonf and DOM