The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1894-07-31
TO COMPEL MEN TO VOTE.
Purpose of an Amendment Pro-
posed by Mr.. Hollis.
Convention TO Hear
from Woman Suffrage Thursday.

ALBANY, July 3i.--Prior to the open
ing OF the Constitutional Convention to-
day Mr.. Goodell. the Chairman of the
Suffrage Committee, said that the re-
port of his Committee on Woman Suf-
! fragc would not be ready before Thurs
| day. There will be two minority reports.
| The women who are in attendance at
each session looked disappointed and
| contented themselves with presenting
! figures TO show that women In Albany
pay taxes on SIS .G93, So Of property and
in Troy on 972o.
When the Convention met, there were
read communications from The various
counties in the State in response TO
resolution of Mr.. Lincoln, asking how
many people were naturalized in 1885,.
The total of "a counties lsix not report
ing) shows a total of 1881. OF these,
j,427 were German. 6,7o7 British, 1881
Russian. l,7l6 Italian and 1,33s Austrian.
The balance is divided among minor
nationaltie5. The counties reporting
large numbers were: Erie, 7s4: Kings.
1852; Monroe, 592; New York, 9,2i6; on
ondaga, 2l2; Rensselaer,, -S6; Albany, 3ol.
The Convention went into Comlnittee
Of the Whole on Mr.. llol,s's amendment
t. compel compulsory voting.
MIR. Hollis took up the discussion OF his
amendment, detailing at great length
the systems of voting from viva Voce
to a system of registry, ana advocated
the compelling of all persons to vote or
else lose their right of franchise for
, certain period, to ne prescribed by the
Legislature.
Ii had been held that suffrage is a
personal right. and that "A man should
exercise mis- own discretion ON the sub
jet, because he voted not for Others; but
Everything tended to show that voter
voted for the benefit OF the, people.
| otherwise. as John Stuart Mill said, II
a vote was Il personal favor man had
| a right 10 sill it.
If this amendment was adopted it
would tend to purify, politics in a great
measure, and wouil compeI the tax Ak
his duty. MIR. Hollis quoted Senator Hill
| AZ in favor of the amendment and az
having favored compulsory voting in sew
showing that very often from 10 to L.
per cent of the registered voters Of the
State did not vote frequently He
thought that If man accepted the right
Of franchise It should be the duty of
such a man to vote, and the state
Mo not nG' be a S nnao to Of f bery ANT
more than the drawing of Jurors. 1t was
not surreptory legislation. Mr.. Hollis
finished amid applause. after having
spoken for an hour AMI ten minutes.
MIR. Mcclure rather ridiculed the idea
as being merely phantom conjured up
by that body that had swamped the
Convention with proposed amendments
the Good Government club. He
| thought that II was an infringement
upon personal rights, great infringe
ment, to try to compel man to vote
when his conscience and his whole be-
| ing was opposed to the candidates and
mayhap the principles of the party.
| He knew of instances where men of
intelligence could not find a candida tie
that they thought tit to elect What
better way could the voter emphasize
his views than by refusing to vote for
unfit candidates 1t would be as much
| of an outrage to force IL man to the
polls as to brihe a voter.
| De LanCey Nicol. Of New York, argued
for the amendment. 1t was Intended he
said. to reach the Anglomaniacs who in
tested New York and the shores of Long
Island. and would rather play polo on
election days than 20 to the polls
against the 'holicr than thou people,
wi ose educational work made them neg
lect the ballot; against the farmer, who
had to be persuaded and persuaded to
vote at ALL
1t was true that the party to which he
did not belong was awakening from Its
letharEic slumberS to such an eSten,
that they we're counting their chickens
before they were hatched. and clect!nl
their candidates before tney were nomi
mated. but this amendment would ait
them.
The Committee finally arose. reNrte,
progress and got leav" To sit again.