The record-union., 1895-03-22
INCIVISNI ELSEWHERE.

Now comes the complaint from France
that incivism is becoming there an evil
as it is here; the people are discovering
that the seat and spring of political diff
cuities in that republic are in the indiffer-
snce of electors. In the recent election in
Marseilles out of 61,S74 registered elect
ors, only II, S4S took the trouble to go to
the polls. And this is the fact, though at
that election the cry was on the wings of
the hour that the municipality was in
danger of falling into the hands of the
radical socialists and anarchists, who
We're united and making systematic
fight against the established order of
things under the republic.
In two other districts in France at the
same time where elections for deputies
were held, there was similar abstention
from duty. And this led NJ. Paul Lafitte
to say in the ReUeu BLeue that it things go
on in this way municipal councillors
chosen by one-fifth of the citizens will
control the destinies of the first cities of
France, and deputies chosen by one
fourth of the voters of the republic will
dictate the terms of its life.
One essayist after anaIyzing the vote
throughout France. declares that the
present deputies hold place by vote of
only one-fourth of the electors of the ma
ton. For this indifference it is proposed
to apply compulsory voting as remedy.
But we may well doubt if it will be found
of any value. a larger vote can be
brought out under the threat of the
scourge of the law, but there can be no
guarantee that it will be any better vote,
or so good as the voluntary vote. On the
contrary there is every reason to believe
that it will be more dangerous vote, be-
cause those driven to the polls will be
likely to judge less wisely and conscien-
tiously than those who do contemplate
their privileges and consider their duties
and realize the obligation under which
they are to the State, of which they are
component parts.
ardent love of his country to go to the
polls, or is not moved by ambition or by
loyalty to the party representing the
principles to which he is attached, to
take part in the politics Of his day, will
not be of much service to the State when
dragged 10 the polling booth by the rep
resentatives of the law Neither loyalty,
love nor sense of duty can be exacted of
men. These are voluntary or not genu-
inc. Incivism is an evil, but it is not to
be whipped out of people except it is
done by a public enemy. The remedy
for it is found in education, beginning
with the youths in the schools and con-
tinuing until the grown man sinks un-
der years and totters into the grave. 1t
is an educational process that must be
kept up and ever on the move.
knowledge of government and its
functions, Intelligent conception of its
purposes and the points at which it is
most likely to be assailed are matters
concerning which instruction is endless.
Patriotism as the result of appeal to pride,
as the natural sentiment of love of the
soil of birth; respect for the institutions
of ones country because of the patriotic
traditions attaching to its history-these
are supplemental TO the knowledge that
must underlie conviction of duty and OBJ
legation to the government oil one's own
making and for which he is responsible.