The Globe-republican., 1894-06-15
Qualification for the Franchise.

When does man acquire the capacity
of judging for whom to vote? Why does
the age of twenty-one qualify for voting?
In no other department would the fact
that man is legally of age alone decide
capacity. If 1 call in physician to see
a sick person, it is because think him
qualified to cure, not because his age is
a guarantee. The law insists that he
shall have diploma showing capacity,
which gives him the right to practice.
This diploma is guarantee that he
knows something about his profession.
A man exercises the franchise without
any guarantee, except that he has arrived
at the age when the law allows him to
vote, though he may have not capacity
to Judge who should be put into office.
What liberty have we in the majority
vote of the uneducated, the unfit or de-
fective individuals?
Instead of sending an ignorant man to
pass laws instead of expensive elections
and appeals to party interests, a law
should be discussed by experts on the sub
ject, every side of the question given full
publicity, and then a vote taken on the
merits of the measure proposed. which
would take it out of the hands of profess
ional politicians and put it into the hands
of scientific authorities, workieg for the
benefit of humanity. An action or
measure is either good or bad; if bad. an
act of the Legislature will not make It
good; if it is good it is so because of its
own intrinsic merits, not because of the
number of votes given it. The discovery
of electric light benefits the German as
we'll as the Americans. So with law;
if it is Just, it is so independent Of the
fact that a Republican, or a Democrat
proposed it being passed. What is just,
right, reasonable, will be 80 although
two persons think differently on the
subject.
What incentive have aliens to elect
those who would work for the welfare of
their adopted country? They are not
born upon the soil, and time Is required
before their interests becomes identified
with the American nation. They vote
where self-interest leads.
It is this which makes the struggle so
terrible between the educated vote on
one side and the ignorant vote on the
other. Our best men abstain from hav-
ing anything to do with politics because
the fear that the terrorists will blacken
their character and ruin their reputation
deters them. Are people free who
dare not give vent to their best impulses,
who dare not raise their voice in favor of
right? Those who would inaugurate
laws to benefit humanity are harassed
and terrorized BY demagogues and place.
hunters. Either self-interest must be-
come subservient to the interests of
humanity, or else the people must admit
that they are submitting to despotism
which is as great - that Of an autocracy.
What is freedom?
II am slave to drink, morphine, or
to opium, or to any other drug, Is am
much slave as though obeyed q will
other than my own. The greatest
Legislators will be those who will free us
from pernicious habits and depraved
appetites. 1t is paradox to talk of men
and women gaining power over nature,
when corrupt social condition Is maxi
ing Of man and woman more abject
slaves than those who were dragged
about In chains. The ignorant majority
vote in the name Of liberty, is opposed
to the true interests Of humanity.
VICTORIA CLAFLIN Woodruff.