The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-04-27
VOTERS VARIOUS COUNTRIES
The United States at the Head of All Ma
tions in the Number of Electors.
From the New York Sun.


tions in the Number of Electors.
From the New York Sun.
Twelve million voters participated in
the presidential election of 1892, and
12,500,000 voters, 1T is computed, will
take part in the presidential election of
1896. There will be one more state vot-
ing this year than four years ago, but
during the intervening time restrfc-
tons upon the suffrage, greatly dimin-
ishing the electorate, have been estab-
lished in various southern states, par
ticularly South Carolina and Florida.
The total number of male inhabitants
of the United States of voting age, as
returned by the federal census of $780,
was 16,940,000; but this total is subject
to a reduction of 100000 aliens, and
about as many more persons are de-
prived of suffrage by legal causes in
various states, and particularly consti-
tutional restrictions established by the
voters.
A very recent computation made Of
ficially of the electors of the United
Kingdom gives as the total 6,416,0
out of a total population of $4,000, 900.
OF these voters $4,000 reside in Scot
land and $4,000 in Ireland. The United
States stands at the head of all nations
in respect of the mere number of elect
ors. though the changes of residence,
which are frequent here, but compare
lively rare in Europe, keep the actual
number of voters far below the number
of those who are eligible France, with
total population very much below
that of the United Staes-about one
half the population of this country
has 100000 electors Germany has
10,600,000 electors, and the number is
increasing steadily as the restrictions
upon voting are decreased. In Austria
there has been a radical reform in the
electorate by its wholesale extension.
Up to "a. dozen years ago the total num-
Der of voters in Austria was 1000 900,
or less than the voting population Of
the state of New York, though the to-
tai population of the Austrian Empire
is Al 1000. 900. There is now pending in
the reichsrath at Vienna a bill pre-
scented by the president of the council
of ministers. Count Badendi, which
ads two members to the existing 353
deputies in the reichsrath. The present
number of electors in Austro- Hungary
is 100000. OF the numbers of the
reichsrath the great land owners elect
IS, the chambers of commerce 90 the
towns lie and the counties 129. The
total number of possible electors who,
under the present system, are excluded
from the franchise in Austria is 210,-
OO0
lIdly is peculiar among European
governments having representative in
situations in that while the actual num-
Der of qualified electors is large, the
number participating is very small.
In other words. a very large number
of Italian citizens qualified by law to
vote abstain from doing so. desiring
by this method to record their opposi-
ton to the course of the Italian govern
ment in its relation to the papacy. In
1892 3,006.0 900 Italians were on the regis
tered rolls. of whom 100000 voted
about per cent of the total population
of Italy. Belgium is a country which,
up TO 10 years ago, had less than 100.-
900 voters. but this number has vastly
increased by the introduction of uni
versal suffrage. with. besides. a provis-
ion for cumulative voting whereby some
citizens are enabled to cast two bal
lots. In the confusion which has re-
suited. the advocates of universal suff-
rage have been outvoted.
In the United States there is one
voter to every four and a half persons;
in Great Britain. one to every six per-
sons; in France, one to every three
and a half, and in Italy. one to every
10 persons