New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-10-28
rs 1T A T1RCEf

Sunnosp some one from Il far country or an
otbor nlonet who knew nothing of Il democratic
form of government except the theory of 1t.
who had never seen the institution itself III
practical operation should look through this
town during the three weeks before e'c'ioh
and witness the several stages OF the process
naturalization, registration and voiing-p!
which the machinery Of popular self-soVcrh-
mont Is kept in motion. what would he think
of it? What. in the first place. would no see
The naturalization courts he would ma pusy
turning into citizens ignorant. vicious. nl'hy
and degraded beings by scores and hundreds
whose only conception Of the privilege ana re-
sponsibty of citizenship Is that it is an IN
tangible. undesirable something which COSTS
nothing but has a real money value. and can
bc made To nav something NJ least once year
If he listened to the very brief court proceed
incs preliminary 10 their being endowed with
the franchise l. would observe that great mum
bcrs of them did not know the difference be-
tween republic and monarchy; ihat lew oi
them had the slightest idea of the nature OF
the offices they arc 10 have Il voic. in hlns OF
the names or qualifications of the persons now
holding them or the candidates for them 'iiat
NOT one I'm ten knows whether he Is voting Tor
Conrrcssmen or Aldermen or President Of the
United States. and that moi one IN hnhdren
ever read the Constitution Of the United STATES
or Of any State. And BE- would be- told fhat
each man OF this ignorant. squalid ana often
times vicious and criminal mass Of new voters
has inst as much weight and Influence III the
choice OF legislators. judges and administrators
Of thc laws as the most intelligent natiyc-born
citizen.
The process Of registration he would ma 10
be carried OF under the auspices Of Il great ana
powerful organization whose chief purpose Is
10 perpetuate It's own rule and enrich It's mem
bcrs NJ the expense of taxpayers. And he would
find the leaders Of this organization necessarily
active in examining the registry lists win the
names of fraudulent voters, tramps AMI re-
Dealers. who are lodged fed and supplied Win
whskey mt the expense Of the organization unlii
after their votes are harvested. when they are
turned adrfi. He would find every barroom'
saloon dive and gambling house, every place
whore thieves resort and the dsrcpniahlc
gather bubbling with political talk: with plans
for getting out voters. schemes for colonzlng,
repcating and cheating and all the machinery
make for misgovcrnmcnt. all the elements that
live by lawlessness and profit by vice, in i'll
cessant activity. scething and boiling with the
excitement of political cnmpaign In Ia"
offices Of the municipal departments he would
witness such scenes as the one described III all
the city papers that occurred in the Office oil
Street Commissioner Andrews on Thursday.
when Mr. Dry Dollar" Sullivan led In a gang
Of voters whom he had jOllied" with the
promise Of place and pay In the Street Depart
mcnt. and begged the Commissioner since he
could not give them places. to jolly them
still further by taking down their names ana
giving them to understand that they would be
nrovidcd for after election. He would see this
sort Of thing going on all over the city And
il might amaze him.
But what would still more amaze and Devil
der him would be TO find that among the intelli-
gent and Ucll-tO-lO classcs--tLe taxpayers. who
should be Interested in maintaining good gov
crnmcnt and honest Observation-Disclosures Of
This Astounding activity, this eagcrncss and en-
,husiasm, there is Il lack Of interest approach
ing apathy; that hundreds of citizens. with ma
tcrial interests at stake and every induccment
10 enter into the canvass with energy and zeal,
are so Indifferent about the whole matter that
they have not taken the small trouble 10 put
their names OH the registry lists and qualify rs
voters. What would he think Of this strange
contrast; Of the supineness and Indifference Of
the classes most interested in good government.
wise laws and honest administration, as set off
bv the zeal Of the classes who live by lawlcss-
ness? Would not democracy seem to him
roaring farce!
Well. is II? We ask you. good citizen, who
has not registered. You are making farce
OF IL by your neglect Of duty. To-day is your
last opportunity to show that You do have some
ADEQUATE conception of the nature Of the gov
eminent you live under and your responsibility
rs q citizen. Consider 1t seriously