San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-07-24
THE PRoPosEo AMENDMENT.

1t is amusing to note with what un-
varying regularity the democratic
statesmen bring up the rear of the
republican procession. All the re-
forms in government, in civil service
regulations, in the ballot, originate
with the republican party, to be
cursed by the democracy and In
Weighed against at first, to be accept
ed and claimed by them at last. This
is specially true with reference to bal
lot reform. Today the democracy are
posing as the friends and advocates
of that peculiar ballot reform known
as the Australian ballot, and yet the
real merit of that reform lies in its
principle of registration, a principle
condemned and execrated by the
democratic party in the past and only
accepted in the present because the
public sentiment of the country will
not allow it to be repudiated. This
state, particularly in its county and
municipal elections, has been a prey
to corrupt political practices, because
the democracy of the state would
not consent to registration law.
When the republican party was In
possession of the state government
there was a practical registration law
upon the statute books and the coloni-
zation of voters for election purposes
was not possible. No sooner, how
ever, had the democrats come into pos
session of the state government than
the registration law was abrogate d p,
and the constitution so changed that
no registration law could be enacted
by the state legislature for all time to
come. Years have only demonstrated
the foolishness of this act, land now the
state legislature finding the impera-
tive need of registration law SUBJ
mits the question to the voters of the
state in the form of an amendment to
the constitution; the only form in
which it can get before the state, or
be acted upon.
This amendment as submitted was
published in yesterdays LIGHT, and
a careful consideration of its pro-
visions is urged upon the citizens of
this city. Concerning the proposed
change the Waco Day, good demo-
cratic authority, says:
"Tbis amendment is designed to
throw a safeguard around the ballot
box to save it from the attack of those
who have no right to deposit votes
therein. The change from the present
provision of the constitution lies in the
power given the legislature to provide
for the registration of voters in cities
of ten thousand or more. The larger
cities of the country have found this
one of the most statutory methods ever
tried to defeat illegal voting, and to
aid in the punishment of fraud. When
the present constitution was made
the state was just out of the hands
of the carpet bag and scalawag gov
eminent set over 1t by the power
of federal bayonets, and so hateful
had the whole thing been to the
people that registration, which had
been inaugurated by their oppressors,
was prohibited. Now there is a ne
cessity for it. and its Inhibition
should be stricken from the constitu-
ton"
AS to the Days confession, that it
was on account of democratic preju-
dice against a republican measure
that this wholesome regulation was
stricken from the state constitution,
let that pass. The democrats have
caught up to the rear of the republi-
can procession, just where 1t halted a
quarter of century ago, and demand
what they so unwisely discarded at
that time. All true ballot reformers,
that is, all true republicans, will
heartily support the proposed amend