The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-05-08


COMPULSORY VOTING.
There ara times when the conscientious
citizen declares, IN his indignant wrath
at the Indifference, of his neighbor, that
every elector should be compelled to vote.
No law having that object in view can
ever prevail In this country. The at
tempt has been made IN several iegisla-
lures to impose the duty OF voting upon
citizens. but II has never found favor with
the majority, and We have no recoliec-
ton of a compulsory provision In the
election law Of any state. Some years
ago a compulsory law was enacted In
Belgium. bat it was very unsatisfactory,
and had the ysry natural result Of making
men resist the effort to compel them TO
vote, and e-en where they complied with
the letter OF the law they sought 70 evade
Il Ia spirit. Ia moaarchies. the policy
Of the government has always been 70
restrict the right of suffrage as closely
as public opinion would permit, and 1t was
only towards the middle Of the present
century that the British government ex-
of the people. But those were the days
prior to 1889, when the right to vote was
priced as high privilege. When men
could not vote they were willing to sac
rifice their lives In order that the privi-
iege might be secured thereafter to the
people, There was no need, in those
days. of laws to compel men to vote
To be voter was to enjoy a proud and
much-to-be envied distinction. 1t may
be a misfortune that citizen will not per-
form the duties Of his citizenship. but in
a free country IL must be the privilege
We accept that as a people. and count
the failure to cast a vote as an indication
OF acquiescence in the result. whatever
that result may be.
The attempt to pass such Law would
excite only amusement If 1t were made
since the ancient and conservative COM
monwealth OF Pennsylvania Is seriously
considering 1t. the subject is entitled to
serious and respectful attention. The
constitutional convention which met In
that state last year was said at that time
to be especially and most unusually repre-
sentative of the most mature statesman
ship; and that body refused to insert in
the constitution a provision that 'inas-
much as 1t is the duty of every elector
to vote. the legislature may pass such
laws as II may deem necessary to secure
hot I.t1xr
proposition was thoroughly canvassed,
but. notwithstanding the adverse action,
the legislature is now making an effort,
as. OF course. IL has the power to do.
without constitutional permission, to en-
act 1t. A similar proposition was SUBJ
held In New York, where IL went so far as
to require electors to vote at primary
elections. 1t was killed there, through
the sarcasm of one OF the delegates who
wanted to know whether the legislature
could frame compulsory voting statute
that could be enforced
This Is the reason why II would be folly
to attempt such legislation, even were
1t wise TO undertake It. IL it could be en-
forced. There are some duties which are
made compulsory. such as serving on
jurics. and II would seem as II a voter
might reasonably be compelled to vote.
No attorney, however. having an inn
portant case to submit to a jury, would
take the risk of being placed at the mercy
of the average juror who was compelled
against his wish to serve. In theory the
principle may be all right. but in prac-
tice IT has to buck human nature. So
n would be with compulsory voting. The
law could not be enforced because II
could not be known until after the polls
closed who were delinquent. The vic
torious party would not concern itself.
and the only probable effort the defeated
party might maize would be In gratiaca-
ton of individual spite. Even under the
compulsory jury system courts are
ienient TO those who have plausible ex-
euses, and there Is no reason to suppose
they would be more arbitrary in dealing
with delinquent voters. Public opinion
would never attach ignomlny TO a breach
Of merely political law; and witnou,
the support of public opinion no law can
be enforced.
Perhaps on the higher ground that II
would be an interference with personal
liberty, such measure would be objec-
tionahio. II there Is any way by which
citizen can be stimulated or coaxed 10
exercise his prerogativs and perform, his
duty II should be adopted: bat 1t would
be poor spectacle 10 have a citizen Of
republic brought up TO the polls under
the compulsion OF a pol!ceman's club ana
f.nr.>na 40, ,-s,., a....l.a.. -.