The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-11-28
BALLOT REFORM.
Judge Judd Corrects a Point in the
Report of His Lecture.
He Referred to the Future, Not to the
Past.
Salt Lake City, Nov. 27, 1898.

Salt Lake City, Nov. 81. 1898.
TO the Editor of The Herald.
I feel greatly complimented by the
editorial comment in your Sunday
morning issue upon my lecture before
the students of the university upon the
subject of Ballot Reform" but in
your comment you say:
While his idea that none but native
born citizens should hold the elective
franchise may be regarded as extreme,
it must be conceded that his reasons
for desiring some correction for the
evils of alien voting, and endowing
ignorant foreigners with the same
rights as well informed Americans, are
grounded in fact and consonant with
right principle. At the same time it
must not be forgotten that there are
well educated and well disposed aliens
residing in this country, and ignorant
and debased natives of the soil.
This language manifests upon your
part clear misrepresentation of one
point in my lecture. In speaking with
reference to the ballot reform, l took
the position that the method of casting
the ballot was of little consequence;
but the qualification of the person who
was casting it, was the thing to be con-
sidered. 1 said that if by our laws
sufficient premium was put upon citi
zenship OF the United States to bring
about an educated, intelligent and pa
trlotic citizen, the manner of casting
the ballot was of little consequence;
that if on the other hand the ballot
was allowed to any kind of a citizen,
without regard to his qualifications,
that instead of eXalting citizenship in
our government, we were debasing il,
and that no method of casting the bal
lot could possibly be invented that
would secure an intelligent expression
of the sovereign will In this connec-
ton, l said; that whenever the politi-
cal power of this country was shifted
from the rural districts to the cities
that the future of our republic was in
danger. because we had thrown open
the doors to the ignorant and criminal
classes of the world who had fiocked
and were flocking into our larger cities,
and that the balance of political power
in elections was being exercised by
the ignorant foreigners who knew
nothing of the spirit and genius of our
government, and to whom the sugges-
ton of patriotic impulse was incom-
Drehensible.
In this connection 1 said, that if
had the power l would so amend the
constitution of the United States that
from this time forward no foreigner
should ever exercise the elective fran
chise in the United States, I said that
to governments like individuals be-
longed the right and duty of self-pres-
ervation, and that since the political
power of this government rested with
the people and found its highest ex-
preston at the ballot box, we had the
right to guard that ballot box against
invasion from the ignorant foreign
element as much as we had the right
to guard our country from the invasion
of an armed foe. l said at the same
time, that l was aware that my posi-
ton in some quarters of our country
was not a popular one, but that as an
American citizen 1 had the right to
express my opinion upon the subject,
and that l felt it duty incumbent
upon me that in whatever I had to say
to the American youth I should hold
up befor him correct ideas and correct
principles of government and to teach
him that citizenship in our country
was thing of the highest possible
value and that when ne comes to ex-
ercise it, at the ballot box, he should
be controlled wholly by an intelligent
and patriotic impulse.
From your comment you seem to think
that l expressed the opinion that those
from foreign countries who had al
ready been made citizens of the United
States should be deprived of that citi-
zenship. | not only expressed no such
opinion; but / expressly disavow any
such feeling. 1 would not if l could
deprive the most humble citizen in
cur land of any right or privilege he
may have succeeded to according to
ann. $500
stop ii where it is. If this be unpopu-
lar 1 cannot help it. Pardon me in this
connection for expressing the opinion
that IT is not long in the future of this
country until my position will be an
nounced by citizens of the United
States more often and with more bold
ness than it is now, and that the peo-
pie, who always lead the politicians,
will yet bring the Congress of the
United States and the president to see
their duty with reference to this sub
ject
would not exclude upright, intelli-
gent foreigners from coming here and
settling among us, but upon the con-
trary would rather invite them to do
SO, and extend to them the full protec-
ton of the laws in the acquisition and
holding of property and in the protec-
ton of life and liberty and the pursuit
of happiness; but do not think a man
light TO be allowed to come here and
4. title among us and have the benefit
of the hospitality Of our government
and the protection Of its laws, who
cannot bring from the ruling sover-
eign from whom he comes a certificate
of a good moral character. This may
not be very popular either, but it is my
view and whenever [ speak to tbe
youth Of this country 1 intend to ex-
press IL am, respectfully yours.