The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-10-19
THE EDUCATIONAL TEST.
some II oughts Suggested by the Missis
sippi Convention.

Some tt oughts Suggested by the Missis-
sippi Convention.
It has been proposed frequently that
constitutional amendment should be adopt
ed restricting the right to vote to those who
possess certain educational qualifications,
and the proposition has met with favora-
BILE reception from many, says the San
francisco Chronicle. There is room for
doubt, however, as to whether those who
have expressed themselves as favoring an
educational test have considered the ques-
ton of suffrage in its true light, and
whether they have not been carried away
by their respect and esteem for what is de-
sirable in itself, education. but which has
no necessary connection with the right to
vote.
At the present time there is or soon will
be, case directly in point which will be a
valuable object lesson. The constitutional
convention of the state of Mississippi has
incorporated an educational qualification
clause in the new constitution of the state,
the effect of which will be. as is admitted,
to disfranchise about $4,000 colored and
1900 white voters. The white democrats
of that state do not deny that the purpose
great majority of the negroes, but they de-
fend the action of the convention on the
ground that the state ought not to be run
by ignorant men. AID that the public good
demands that political power be lodged in
| the hands of those who have sufficient edu-
cation to rule wisely.
| Is it not true, however, that the argument
belongs to the same category rs the argu-
ments which have been used to support a
property qualification for voters? 1t has
been urged again and again that laws re-
garding property should be- made only by
those who have property to be affected by
| legislation. 1t has been insisted that the
landless man is only tolerated outlaw i'll
society, that he can have no genuine inter
est in the welfare of the body polite, and
that he should have no voice in the selec-
ton of those who are to make laws for the
community. And yet the argument is not
held to be valid one. The tendency of the
age is continually toward wider democ-
racy, and manhood suffrage is constantly
gaining ground.
| In discussing the question of an educa-
tional test, the distinction between intelli-
gence and education is often lost sight of
or overlooked. 1t must be conceded that
the function of governing, from its lowest
to it's highest point, should be regulated
the right to vote cannot be made upon the
abstract question of intelligence. It must
be put into concrete form, and then it as
sumes the shape of test of education,
which, obviously, does not involve con-
sideration of the question of intelligence
In other words, under any educational test
that can be adopted, the citizen may vote
who can read suf1i iently to comply with
the requirements Of the law. even though
his intelligence be of very limited order
while the next man-who may possess the
natural acuteness of a Newton or q Des-
| ri k,r1tv ,Ho hoc 1,o1 I'd,
tional OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES be debarred
from voting simply because he does not
know that certain arbitrary signs, arranged
In particular way, convey certain ideas tc
those who are adopts in such matters.
Again, the kind of education which should
the United States, particularly native born
is not the education which is generally
known as "book-learnlng.'' Any boy Of
average intelligence born and brought up il
the United States knows what the nature o.
the government is and what the rights anc
duties of the citizen are long before b,
reaches the voting age. whether he has eve
learned to read or not. He breathes it in al
he does the sir by which he is surrounded
1t becomes ingrained in every fiber of him
and grows with his growth and strengthen
with his strength, He knows what the re
public is and what state and local govern
ments are, and having nothing to unlearl
his poll tical education is farther advanced
at 81, in spite of his ignorance of books
than that of many naturalized citizens VIII
are too indifferent to study the system o
government which they swear to honor an,
support.
Possibly in the case of Mississippi, tn,
educational test case may in time prove t.
be a blessing. 1t will spur up portion oil
the disfranchised colored vote to educate
itself, and the prediction has already beer
made that if there ever comes time in tina
state when honest elections are held it viii
be found that larger portion of the 1913,
600 have qualified themselves than of the
among the present uneducated who will
qualify themselves to comply with the new
law, SO the gain may be positive one
Nevertheless the principle remains open al
a subject for discussion, since single ex-
ample is not enough for the deduction of 8
general law.