St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-03-02
TRUE RALl,OT REFORM.

Gov. BoIES will probably De cai'ed
down by the politicians of the dema-
gogue class. whose name is legion, tor
that bold uttrrance in his inaugural
wherein he as erts that more llmIta-
lions should be placed upon the eXer-
else of suffrage in this country. The
tendency of modern politics is to extend
rather than to restrict suffrage. ana yet
1t must be admitted that the extension
IS usually the result of mere party me-
cessitV or a Welding to the clamor5 OF
the demagogue; and seldom, if ever, In
obedience to the dictates of wisdom or
from a desire to promote the general
welfare. If the reaction should come,
as it possibly will some day, the Ques'
ton will be as to how and where the
limitations and restrictions shall be
placed, and the difficulty will be in de-
termining this question. There are now
paratively few among the thinking and
conservative classes who are advocates
of universal suffrage, and yet there are
still fewer who have the courage to pro-
claim their convictions. Thus the
demagogue has had full sway, and in
pushing his universal suffrage racket
he has almost pushed the country
to the verge of ruin on more than one
occasion. We have reached a point
where the cultured and enlightened
classes are dominated by the illiterate,
and where the property holders are at
the absolute mercy OF the non-property-
holding classes. And yet it has all been
done under the mistaken theory that
suffrage is birthright, instead of a
franchise which ought to be granted
with EXTREMIST caution. On the principle
that revolutions never 60 backward. we
do not expect TO see this generation
reverse it's action in the matter of eX-
tending suffrage, but we do expect
halt to be called, ana the lines reformed,
in order that the country may not be
further imperled.
'But what are we to do about it?"
asks some one. "Shall the states eStab-
lish property qualification, or an edu-
catiOnal qualifications" Well, let us see
about that. AS rule, property holders
would advocate property qualification,
but they would do it on purely selfish
grounds. 1t is not right in principle,
consequently it could not he made right
IN practice. 1t is not right to punish a
man on account of his poverty. Be-
sides, there are thousands who do not
own a dollar in the world who are bet
ter qualified to vote and to exercise all
the higher rights of citizenship than
some who own millions. Of course,
then, the property qualification can
not be defended on moral prin-
ciples. 1t is at best an app6ndage
of aristocratic government, which
should have no application to republican
Institutions. There is a better argu-
ment in favor of the educational quail
fication, although education does not
always make men upright. An edu-
Gated fool is the most dangerous type of
mankind. while the educated scOundrel
is the most viIlainous. What we want
TO arrive at is to limit suffrage to honest
men exclusively, regardless of color,
race or previous condition of servitude,
and then have a compulsory ballot law
compelling every suifragan to 20 to the
polls and TO cast his vote.
The purchasable element, together
with those who buy votes, should be
DISTINGUISHED. The man who puts a
money valuation on suffrage, whether
he is a buyer or seller of votes. Is not ft
to be entrusted with the highest duty
Of citizenship. With the aid OF the
Australian ballot system. which is now
being adopted everywhere, it will be q
comparatively easy matter to spot the
vote buyers and the vote sellers; and,
when spotted, they should be forever
DISTINGUISHED. A law to this effect,
rigidIy enforced. will do more toward
purifying elections than all the property