The record-union., 1891-01-20

=
dence in the State. The Judge and attor-
lsneys know nothing of them. They bring
thor witnesses from some remote place,
and it is almost impossible for the court
to properly determine whether the par
ties are entitled to divorce or not. think
a person Should reside at least three
months in community before appealing
to atribunal to set aside so solemn con-
tract as the marriage contract.
Mr.. Dibble-H the gentleman from
! Placer had closely observed my profess
sional career he would not have made
| the remarks he has. L do not take divorce
cases which are not reputable. What l
am aiming to strike ut, by this bill, is the
disreputable divorce lawyers OF my city.
The cases taken to the country counties
are not brought by the country bar, but
by professional divorce lawyers of San
Francisco, and it is to correct that evil
this bill.
| The bill passed-Ayes "a, noes l.
| SPECIAL ORDER.
| Assembly Constitutional Amendment
No. 3, with reference to the right of
| suffrage.
Mr.. Bledsoe-I have some difiidence in
rising to say few words advocating the
passage Of this amendment, because feel
that the idea which is embodied is one
which the great parties, not only in this
State but the United States, must take up
| In the near future and consider favorably,
for the party which refuses or fails to do
so viii go down deseryedly III defeat. Bat
| do not wish to be understood as appear
| ing here i'll advocacy of the amendment
in opposition TO the views OF the conven-
! ton which nominated NE for the Office !
now hold, er Of the people who elected
me to it. The Republican Comfy Con-
vention of Humboldt County, which
| placed mo in nomination, adopted a plat
form, part Of which | VIII read-to
which part there was not IL dissenting
voice: = We look with alarm upon the
increased immigration OF the illiterato and
ltnassiinilated elements of Europe, and
| believe that every agency should be in
! yOked to :preServesour public lands frQn
alien grasp, to. shield American labor
from this destructive competition, and to
protect the purity of the hallot-hox from
the corrupting influences OF the disturb
| ing clements that come from Abroad
And, in presenting this proposed amend
ment to the Constitution, ! have done it
with the idea that if we shall exclude
from the right of suffrage all those who
have not sufficient intelligence to read cur
language and to write and to learn OF our
Constitution and laws that that will
! be most effectual method of
preserving the purity of the ballot-bex.
| 1t must not be presumed that there is no
precedent for this amendment. ] have
examined the Constitutions Of the States,
and / find that there are two which con-
| taing provisions almost exactly similar.
| That of Connecticut provides: Every
person shall be able TO read any article
! of the Constitution, or any, section Of the
statutes of this State before being adj
! mitted rs an elector." This was an
amendment made 10 the Constitution of
! Connecticut in 1855, and is now the law OF
that State. The Constitution of the old
State of Massachusetts provides: mo
person shall have the right to vote, or be
| eligible to Office, under the Constitution
of this commonwealth, who shall not be
able to read the Constitution in the En-.
glish language and write his name" It
is provided in the Constitution of Flor
| ida, that the Legislature must provide,by
law that no person who shall be unable to
read or write, after the year 1880, shall be
allowed the right Of suffrage. The Con-
stitution. of Colorado provides that the
Legislature may provide by law that no
person shall have the right of suffrage,
after the year 1899, who is unable to read
and write. SO l say that this proposed
amendment is not without precedent.
! And whether it be or not, we must all
recognize-every Republican and every
Democrat on this floor must know it to
| be u fact-that the gates Of Castle Garden
are swinging too wide for the good of the
nation If we do not take some steps to
prevent the ignorant classes, who are
coming here from Europe, un
! loading the refuse of the world
upon our shores, from exercising
the right of suffrage until they have ac-
quired knowledge OF our Constitution, our
system of government, and our laws, it
will soon come to pass that this element
will direct in our politics and our institu-
! tionS will be overthrown. AS Republi-
can, / feel and see the danger which
threatens my party. 1 think and believe
that if my party does not take up this
question of the right of suffrage, and ex-
clude ignorance from it; if it does not
take up this question of undesirable inn
migration, and exclude from this country.
the refuse of Europe, it will go down in
defeat. AS Republican, believe in the
Republican party, and wish to see it
march on to success. For that reason, if
no other. 1 would not fear to stand here
and advocate this amendment. l wish
| the Republican party to be kept in the
ascendancy, and that can only be done by
its advocacy of that which is right, proper
and eXpedient. | ask you all, gentlemen
of the Assembly, if you are not interested
I in the welfare of the State? Whether you
are Republicans or Democrats, makes no
| difference; if you are interested in the
| welfare of California and of the United
| States, do not be afraid to record your
vote in favor of this proposed amend
/ ment.
Mr.. Shanahan-Perhaps the gentleman
did not intend any direct reflection on the
great political party that has the honor of
contending with the party of intelligence,
and so on (the Republican party, when
he stated that his party would go to defeat
| except the Ignorant were excluded from
voting. l am glad to see, however, by his
own statement, that in those States where
they have a constitutional amendment
which requires this educational qualitica-
| Massachusetts and Connectic9t-the
Democracy Won the victory at the last
election. [Applause.1
| Mr.. Bledsoe-It does not make any diff
/ ference to me how those two States went.3
I cast no particular reflection ON the DEM
/ ocratic party, because the eminent gentle
man from Shasta County who represents
that party on this floor, in his own per-
son would exclude any idea of lack of
intelligence among the Democracy of this
State, at least.
/ Mr.. Shanahan (sotto yoce)-Thank you.
Mr.. Martin-If / understand the pro-
posed amendment, it includes all the pro-
visions which are on the statute books at
| the present time, with this additional
clause with relation to ability 10 read and
write. Now when / view the physiog-
nomy and developments of the young
gentleman who introduced it i am sur
! priSed. Judging from his organization,
| If he would doff his mustache / would
class him in the ministerial persuasion
instead of the dirty pool of politics.
/ lLaughter.l His remarks take me back
in the history of my native country for
/ fifty years. recollect in the contest Of
/ 1910 that one of the charges of the Whig
| party against the Democratic party of
that day was that the Democratic party
was cultivating the friendship and votes
of all of the adopted citizens; and ema-
mating, as this resolution does, from
/ gentleman who declares himself a Re-
publican, say it is a measure of parti-