New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1892-01-13

THStElCLeu suffrage dHu LHo IOtIcA pOl-
roughs of England and Of some Of our
own states are to be restored. The cit
izenship of the Italian republics Of the
middle ages is reproduced, such as that
Of Florence, which, in its palmy state,
was composed of less than four thous-
and men, The result is rule by por-
ton of the community (and the degree
of comparison with the many is OF no
moment in considering the principle)
and this is oligarchy which Aristotle
compendiously described as''the politic-
al predominance of the rlcl."
I hold it to be natural right, under
our system of government, that every
citizen of proper age not disfranchised
by conviction of crime who can be COM
PEELED to take arms IN its defense, who
is taxable through the action of the leg
islative representationfor allits purposes
is entitled to the elective suffrage. This
is the very principle upon which our
ancestors justified the rebellion that
made them free. If this is right it
cannot of course be justly restricted by
any qualification as test which will
give to one citizen this right and deny
it to another. It is this denial in the
South which constitutes the crowning
political infamy of this age.
Statemanship deals with facts and
our present system Of franchise is a fact
OF the most concrete character. This
franchise is a thing of universal and
hahitual enjoyment. By what process
can it be restricted? Are any of its
possessers going to vote togive it up?A1l
history teaches that such a right of par
ticipation in political power was never
abolished except by a bloody political
revolution, ending in change of the
system of government.
But suppose it practicable by peace.
full means, what will be the test of quail
iication?
Intelligence says some one. But It'll
the general diffusion of intelligence
which makes practicable such system
Of suffrage as ours, and that general
intelligence incontestably pervades our
people. The exceptions to it cannot
furnish the rule. This general intelli-
gence is increasing. They who will as
electors govern this country thirty years
from now will, as a whole, be better
qualified for that purpose than the pres
ent generation.
Let there be an educational test says
another. To this the foregoing obser-
vations partially apply.
But how much education do you re-
quire?
By what civil service commission
shall it be tested so that the person may
become an elector by virtue of some
certificate that he may receive from
such tribunal? Ability to either read
or write the English language is mere
shibboleth. Many man who can do
both is less fitted to vote than many a
man who can do neither. These defects
are the mere accidents of our system,
The generals Of ofintelligence and educa-
tion remain in full corrective force, in a
vastly prepondecating proportion, and
as time goes on these exceptional and
individual deficiencies will be reduced
to their minimum.
There should be property quali6ca-
ton some one thinks. This is another
return to ancient sepulchres, How
much property? If Of a slight value,
the rich will endow for electoral pur-
poses such of the poor as may be pur-
chasable, and most colossal system of
corruption will be the result producing
a proletariat more dangerous than has
ever existed, because it will be armed
with the forces of the intelligence of
which / have remarked. If of q great
value then it is Aristotle's oligarchy
come again.
I believe in human progress through
the action of all people. freely ac-
knowledge the existence of discouraging
elements, such as disfranchisement in
the south, and an equal disfranchisement
in the great cities of the North by which
the vote of the elector is neutralized by
the repeating, the ballot box stufing,
the false regulations and returns. But
these are the temporary accidents and
durable infrmities of a most benefceHt
system. They will in time be also re-
duced to their minimum. The trouble
with the system in the North, and es-
pecially in the cities, is that the susl-
ness men, and those Of the learned pro-
fessions take so little interest in politics.
With power enough to correct the evils
of which they complain, they keep away
from the caucus and polls. They are
the do.nothings who think that the
right of suffrage should be restricted.
Some of such have prosecuted bribery
in politics as a craft and have then de-
plored the corruption of the ballot box.
TN, = =, s, ~, q fOrn;h1o 6vo Ks