Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-08
TO GUARD THE SUFFRAGE.

The Necessity for National Legislation
Prescribing the Qualifications Of Voters.
Since the free ballot is the very basis of
all our free institutions, it has come to be
no longer matter of local or State interest
only, but National necessity, to provide
for the purity Of the suffrage. In the Ma
tions childhood it worked well enough to
suffer each State to fix for itself the safe
guards as well as the terms of suffrage.
But the fact has long been recognized, says
the New York Tribune, that this system is
entirely illogical, dangerous to the rights Of
individual citizens, and pregnant with peril
20 the interests of the Nation.
The citizen of the United States, as mat
tiers now stand, may or may not be sharer
in the governing power. Each State de-
termines for itself if he happens to be resi-
dent of one State he is denied the suffrage
because he does not comply with condi-
tons which are not required at all across an
imaginary line in different State Here
he must have property; there he need have
none Here he must be taxpayer; there
he need not Here he must be able to read
or write; there he may vote without abili-
ty to do either. In some States commission
of this or that offense DISTINGUISHES; but
by remov al to a different State the offender
regains his franchise Here he must have
resided one year, there longer or shorter
time within the State; in some States the
immigrant must first be naturalized, in
others he can vote as soon as he has de-
clared his intention to become citizen.
Viewed without regard to the habits of
thought which have grown up with all, this
state of things is incredibly foolish, and al
most inconceivably dangerous.
DIT ~, l,cra IL. A.
tuition recognizes by providing that those,
and those only, may vote for mem bers of
Congress who have "the qualifications re-
quisite for electors of the most numerous
branch Of the State Legislature" Amend
ment of the constitution in that particular
would now be difficult. 1t is matter Of
even greater Importance that without any
constitutional requirement the methods Of
voting and of ascertaining and guarding the
right of suffrage are left almost entirely to
the States. The United States election
laws hitherto passed, being framed for a
limited purpose, do in effect provide for ap-
pointment of certain officers who shall see
that provisions of State law are faithfully
observed, but it is nevertheless left to State
law alone to determn ne what ''act shall be
done" or what proof submitted as pre-
requisite. In some States the methods pre-
scrloed do in effect disfranchise many citi-
Zens. In some the right to vote is carefully
ascertained and guarded; in others there
is no care about any part OF the business,
and no real protection against fraud. 1t
would seem incredible, if custom bad not
habituated the people to this absurdity, that
great nation should thus leave the ascer-
tainment and protection of it's voting power
for Presidential electors and members OF
Congress TO the varying whims of thirty
eight Legislatures.
The great constitutional lawyers" who
infest Washington will discover many OBJ
stacles IN the way, no doubt, if anybody
proposes that the United States should,
any manner, regulate the suffrage But 1t
would seem to be expressly in accordance
with the constitution to enact that a person,
before voting for member OF Congress or
Presidential electors, shall prove that he
has "the qualifications requisite for elect
Ors of the most numerous branch Of the
State Legislature" and shall submit that
proof to an officer created and acting under
United States law. The constitutional re-
uuirement carries with it the power, and the
duty TO provide that it shall not be disre-
garded. either by the neglect of any State
Legislature or by the neglect or miscon-
ruct of any State official