The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-04-01
VOTERS IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES.
The United States at the Head of All Ma
lions in the Number of Electors.

Twelve million voters participated in
the Presidential eleotionsof 1892, and 49,
800, 900 voters, it is computed, will take
part in the Presidential election sof 1885,
There will be one more State voting this
year than four years ago, but during the
intervening time restrictions upon the
suffrage, greatly diminishing the cleo
torate, have been established in various
Southern States, particularly South
Carolina and Florida. The total number
of male inhabitants Of the United States
of voting age, as returned by the Federal
census Of 1890, was is. $40, 600; but this
total is subject to Il reduction of l, 100, 600
aliens, and about as many more parsons
are deprived of suffrage by legal causes
in various States and particularly by
Constitutional restrictions established by
the voters.
A very recent computation made Off
cially of the electors of the United King
dom gives as the total 6, 416, 900 out of a
total population of 80, 0O0, 900. OF these
voters $780, 600 reside in Scotland and 800,
COO in Ireland. The United States stand
the mere number Of electors, though the
changes of residence. which are frequent
here, but comparatively rare in Europe,
keen the actual nun bel OF voters far be-
low the number of those who are eligible.
France. with total population very
much below that of the United States
about one-half the population of this
oIo
many has 10000, coo electors, and the
number is increasing steadily as the re-
strictions upon voting are decreased. In
a australia there has been radical reform
in the electorate by its wholesale exten
sion. Up to dozen years ago the total
number of voters in Austria was ], 200. COO,
OF less than the voting population of the
State Of New York, though the total pop
ulation Of the Austrian empire is Al, 600,
000. There is now pending in the Reich
srath at Vienna bill presented by the
President Of the Council Of Ministers,
Count Bagendi, which adds two members
TO the existing 353 Deputies in the
Reichsrath. The present number of cleo
tors in Austro- Ii ungary is $780, COO OF
the members of the Reiohsrath the great
landowners elect fifty eight, the cham
bers of commerce twenty, the towns lie
and the counties 1873 The total number
OF possible electors who, under the pres
ent system, are excluded from the fran
chise ia Austria is 30, 600.
Italy is peculiar among European in
stitutions III that while the actual num-
her Of qualified electors is large, the mum
Der participating is very small. In other
words, very large number Of italian
citizens qualified by law TO vote abstain
from doing 80, desiring by this method tC
record their opposition TO the course o.
the Italian Government in its relation tC
the Papacy. In 1892, 3,0O6, 900 italian:
were on the registered rolls, Of whom l,
600, 600 voted-about per cent of The
total population Of Italy. Belgium is
country which up to ten years ago had
less than loo, 600 voters, but this number
has bean vastly increased by the intro
duction of universal suffrage with, be-
sides, provision for cumulative voting
whereby some citizens are enabled TO cas-
two ballots. IN the confusion which hal
resulted the advocates of universal sHf
rage have been outvoted
In the United States there is one vote
70 every i 1-2 persons; in Great Britain
ne to every six persons; in France, one
every 8 10, and in Italy one to every
persons.