The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-05-16
TIE RIGHT TO VOTE.

Give are unalterably opposed to the dis
iranchisement of any citizen except for crime
whereof he shall have been first duly convicted
democratic Platform.
The right to vote is an important one
IL Is the only participation in the govern
ment that is possible to most of the people,
and the right of the people to participate in
the government Of which they form part
Is SO important that many have held that
Suffrage is natural right. The courts
nave held, however, that suffrage is q priv
lege, not natural right. 1t is conferred
oy the state for public purpose, to per
petuate the existence of the state and tn
secure to the people the blessings of life.
liberty and happiness.
Inc 1eoeral government may not DENY
the right to vote of any citizen of the
United States ION account of race color
or previous condition of servitude:n bu. II
may do so for other reasons. as we have
seen in the case of the EDMUNps law. which
disfranchised, In the territories. those who
old not take an oath that they had not com
mlsted any OF the iDfractions of law named
In that act Upon the states there seems
TO be no restriction, unless it be found in
that clause prohibiting the states from
granting titles of nobility. The right to
vote might be so restricted that the few re-
naming electors would constitute priv-
neged aristocracy, and it is possible that
this might be construed as granting titles
OF nobility to the privileged few.
This has been the object, more or less
disguised at times, of the ringleaders of
Utah Liberalism. Within the past six
months the paper of that organization has
openly defended the proposition that tho
law-abiding three fourths of the peopIe of
Utah should be disfranchised in order that
the remaining one-fourth (Which. on the
whole, is known to be less law abiding
than the three-fourths mentioned) MIGHT
have the exclusive right to vote. hold
office, collect and spend the taxes. etc in
this rich, prosperous and growing terri.
tory Never In American history has there
been proposition more barefaced. sconn-
drelly and infamous than this. Yet If ;s |
lair to say that among those members of
the Liberal party that gave any thought To |
this matter, comparatively few ever sane /
toned the disfranchisement platform. and |
still fewer do so at the present time
1t was evidently the hope OF the ,.;nr
leaders, however, to pack conventions. Sc.
cure the nomination, and with the aid of
the Utah commission, the election of rsdi-
cal Liberals to the legislature, and then
whip the bare majority thus obtained into
DISTINGUISHING and degrading their Nor
mon neighbors, who outnumber them in
the ratio OF four to one. We cannot believe
that such a plot could succeed, even wera
1t possible for one-fourth Of the voter. IN l.
elect majority. Certain il Is. however,
that no such an outrage will be possible in
Utah, If Democracy shall prevail. The
Democrats declare themselves una,terablu
opposed to 1t. No language could be
stronger. With full confidence in the
Of the people of Utah and in their
wortnlness TO participate In the govern
ment under which they live, Democracy S
the hand Of friendship to them and &
bids them live for the future and let bv.
cones be.
Liberalism (Republicanism) on the other
hand still harps upon past difference lonp .
since settled, and talks of lone wife, and t
'the American home" as If in Utah the t
homes were Asiatic. 1t tells the people of
Utah that they are ''unfit to Law their 6
stained hands on the American ballot.n nm. O
it to serve as jurors or be tried by iuries d
Unfit to govern themselves. Let the people \
leclde between them. i
After suffrage has been granted to any j
me- it has become a vested right a &
property, that cannot be taken from him
without 'due process of law.n This last n
'hrase signifies proper judicial proceed "
ngs and not mere legislative decree Il
he disfranchisement of men who had 81
iolated the EDMUNDs law was not b
roperly due process of law, &C o.
ording to some, notwithstanding the u
evice Of making the registrars judicial 81
Ulcers and thus providing sort Of trial o.
efore the Acknowledgement took effect. m
However that may be, the Utah Democ- 81
acy has spoken in no uncertain voice al
gainst the disfranchisement of the law al
biding people of Utah without the form of b,
'ial or accusation. CT
1t will be glorious labor for the Democ-
'nr TO defend the principle of universal pl