Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-10-31

which Wh- lipltftN uuNlu'hlluu
One by one these laws have been
repealed, until IN only six
State- IL there any restriction
Of lhe franchise, except as to
youth nnd sex, aud time " residence
IN the country, State ani precinct.
The Elk exceptional States are Connec
ticui, Delaware, Florida, Mississippi,
Massachusetts and Rhode island. In
Delaware the qualifications of voter
arc that he must have paid poll tax
and passed the age Of twenty two year.,
In addition 10 being citizen Of the
United States. In Florida one must
have paid the tax for two years before
he can vote. Connecticut aud Ma--a-
chusot,s have an educational qualiilcn.
ton. In Connecticut IL Il simply that
the voter shall be able to read the Con.
Rtitution Of the United Stnto-, Ia Mas
sachusetts he must do this and also be
able n write, aud mutt have paid tue
capitatipu tax for two year. In Nile
sisaippi the requirement IA rather anus.
inr, Il IL that the citizen proposing 10
vote shall lie able 10 read OF understand
the Constitution. | have heard OF n
hunter who said tina, hs 20 aimed his
gun $50 hit " II was a deer and 10 mics
II II wns cow" The last clause "
the Mississippi qualification IL evident
~ Intended 10 admit the citizen " he
Is our friend aud 10 exclude him " he
IA our enemy. Rhode Island has n
property qualification, the same that
has becu Ia her Constitution Tor more
than n hundred years, ant many thou
sands Of her citizens are thereby die.
ffAuchiscI. The requirement IL that
one must own real estate to tho value
Of fl3i, or an annual rental value Of
81. before he eau be allowed 10 vote.
Very strenuous efforts have recently
teen made ~ repeal this law,
but the smallest State "a the Union,
that begun by being the most radical
and progressive, proves now 10 bc the
most conservative. Conservative how.
over, In this case with very good tca-
son the thoughtful man " apt ~ he
lieve. Win her limited area aud
great manufacturing cities, the lgud
owners would I've IN u hopeless minor.
ity VI all the factory wDrkor were al
lowed 10 vcte. The best citizens, those
most Interested Ia good government,
are undoubtedly the native horn, the
agrlcultutlsis, and the owners VI the
factories aud homes aud house lots In
the city. The government Il In their
hands; ns things arc why should they
give into the hands Of iemayOguts ami
ward politicians as they would do To
repeal the law OF amend the con-titu'
ton - n ~ remove the property quail
1catiun, ~ 10 voting: In this matter
OfeNtrndins the privilege " the iran.
chi-e The work IL dOue once for nil.
There IN no going backward, Tor 20 one
viii willingly rsiiuquish privilege
aud n power that hu has once exercised.
The constant widening Of thls priv
irgc toward universal suffrage that hat
gone on during tue outic history Of
our country, aud not only here, but Ia
most nations VI the Oh World ~ well,
seems 10 have produced an almost
universal conviction that the light ~
vote Il onc Of mans natural and Ia.
Aiienablo rights. This conviction,
however, Il one Of those popular feel
lux. that duRot rest upon any solid
basis Of Tact OF philosophy. Equal
rights for all 81 nm excellent gen
cfal idea, but in u.ah.ng any
lust application OF II In State,
where men differ 20 profoundly ~
thoy do here, some regard should he
had 10 character and condition. In
the matter OF the franchise, this prln.
ciple has always been recognized.
pauper- are usually forbidden 10 vote,
ana criminals In prison, children aud
/ imhecilc aud insane persona, and until
recently and still In general, women.
To recognize the inellgibillty of any
one Of these classes N really 10 abandon
the plea that tue hight ~ vote II a
natural right.
r'hc right Of suffrage belongs with
/ those upon whom rests The responsible,
/ ~ OF UNFOLDING anu maintaining the
/ government. To make this clear thlnh
/ of some institution, corporation ~
society. Those who belong 10 tn,
society, the members are the voters,
| n some members take morc Interest
than others, put Ia more money, 10 Il
! g mmOn 10 give them more power Ia
| the way OF voting, 10 balance their
| greater Interest aud responsibility
and this Il universally conceded 10 be
| lust. 4 vote Is an exercise ~ author
| ity, anu a right to II N defivahle only
| from u measure Of responsibility an
| interest. Now, our government Il Q
| society IN which, while each either
| has a certain Interest, somv have nat
utnlly much more than othera, ant
| naturally must bear a greater rvspou6
| ibility. Where man has no intercs
/ In the welfare OF the nation, anu feel
none, he will feel no responsibility
and u a vote IN allowed him he Is mp
| to use II 10 some trivial and selfsi
/ way-Apt TO sell II, or give u as SOM
| friend shall dictate. There should b,
no hesitation In refusing tue electiv,
franchise 10 such rs far as we cat
describe and distinguish them M /
class.
But the greatest danger of all prob
| ably Is the Ignorant class. Good gov
eminent in our day depends upoi
many other things besides good inten
tons. Commercial aud economi,
questions, that seem at iiist 30 have u,
| morality or Justice In thum, are ye
fraught with disaster and misery II no
met and decided with adequate knowl
edge and wisdom. And yet In oul
way Of voting the totally illiterate maj
exercises the same power aA the colleg'
professor. There may ho sound reasol
Ia giving every citizen vote upoI
some questions, 40, for example, 70
President Of the United States OF 70
governor, but that one who cannu
read shall vote concerning all que-
tlOnp, or for men for all offices, seem
mn nbsurdity that ought to be remedied
But, ~ WIS said little while ago, !
will be diilicull 10 apply the remedy II
the way Of DISTINGUISHING any man ~
class Of men who have heen accus
I 4. E..s "a. -