New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-15
u.IITERATE VOTERS AT THE POLLS.
THE PROVISION IN THE LAW FOR THEIR 40
sIsTANcE-TIEE SECRECY OF THE
BALLOT VIOLATED.

BALLOT VIOLATED.
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Cir. Your naper Is the advocate Of the best prin-
cnals of Americanism, and II consequently reaches
the best class OF Americans For tnese reasons '"o
following is to The Tribune:
Action has been brought to determine as 10
u,bo,her that provision Of the Election law which
authorizes inspectors assist illiterate voters at
the polls Is or is not constitutional. Inc courts
will determine this question. but 1t rests with the
noonl. to determine as 10 the right or wrong OF
such n law and TO say whether IT shall be aHo"eu
TO stand or be repealed. Why should the state oe-
clare in its Constitution that the secrecy VI '"e
ballot shall be preserved and then make speo'a'
proy,slon for the iiliterate contrary TO sueh
..secrecv"? is not this to put a premium OH
ignorance? The case OF man physically dlsapieu
is radically different Such should be allowed as
sistance even II n proviso In the Constitution 10
that effect is required.
Is the privilege Of franchise so vaiueiess 'i'A'
every ignoramus may freely exercise IT? Is A'her'-
can citizenship so cheap that every naturaized
foreigner who cannot read or write our language
may have the same voice at the polls as We whose
fathers have lived and died here ana VINO nave
been educated in our public schools, sustained D!
public taxes? | say every foreigner adyisedy' Tor
,vho but foreigner could live in this land or free
schools and still be unable TO read and write! ~
such there be. by what principle OF equity uosa nc
claim the right OF suffrage? And even the foreigner
Who cannot in five years acquire the knowledge
nossessed by- a little American child is unit TO
enjoy political privileges In any country. MS
naturalization was an insult to American citizen
shin And vet such have been made citizens OF
this Republic at the rate OF one every TWO OF
three minutes all day long by our judges JUDGES
whose chief qualification for their positions was
their political pulls po
Twice ST Paul boosted that he was Roman
ctizen That claim was heard by the Magistrates
in two distant cities. Phillip ana Jerusalem, with
respect and Difference. New-York Is more Illus
trors than the City of I'iber and the metropo-
lis OF a more splendid empire. But only by mar.
tanning a high standard of citizenship may we teel
that IL Is more honorable to say now i am an
American" than II OF old to even say 1 am
Roman" , -, 49, =,
Tammany Hall approves the existing law. an al
most sure sign Of It's character. For Tammany
Hall is personifed political depravity the incarha-
ton OF political prostitution.
Some OF our representatives in the Natona Legs
lature be ieve this country needs a foreign war.
washington has always been well supplied with
fools both great and small We need no foreign
war but rather a civil war; vigorous and unremlttng
against those internal forces which degrade clzen ms
and citizenship. and have contributed TO elevate
mcst OF those same representatives to their hign
nosition The stability Of democracy Is threat
enel by the allied forces OF vice ana ignoiahce anu
bv them alone. Civil courage Is the desderatu'n OF
his ,poch The State demands as high morality
as The Church. Ii Is the complex whole or Whch
other institutions but parts. Democracy ~ or
oanir Each indivdua. is living cell in this body
nctic I'm proportion as they perform tnelr dut,es
toward the state and themselves morally ma INV
viii she be sound. Her growth. her power, her me-
even dcnend entirely upon them she has no ex St
ence of her own apart from them; ~ NJ Is T.
Saratoga Springs y. Y. March g. 1879