El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-01-13
Corrupt Voting.

Our government was frsmed, aud is
fostered now, on the pre- ty theory of
the equality of men. But one need be
no philosopher to know thai so long as
there are those among US enjoying the
right of suffrage who do not appreciate
the sacred trust re used in the ID, SO
long will the refOrm"r's speech d the
refOrmer's pen b powerless 10 purify
our ballot box. AS much time as has
been spent by our congress and legis-
latures in attempting to hedge alb )ut
tie passions of men by tse enactment
of laws, there has never yet, to my
mind, been sugges ell pra ;tlcal
remedy to forestall the foul play that
is at our polls. There can be no doubt
that whenever political battle is
wage1, both sides pra ;tice corruption,
aud the measure of their iniquities de-
ponds alone upon their respective needs
or powers.
TIE sources of election frauds are
mutiforiOus. The most prolific source,
of course. is money applied by these
corruptionists for the furtherance of
their OVID ends, regardless of the pub
lie veal, and by the result of the cleo
ton the people seem to sanction their
methods. The writer heartily agrees
that the vote-buyer is even more
blameworthy than he who regards his
vote as a commodity; and believes that
the next most prolific sources of evil at
the polls are the naturalization laws of
the United States. The federal sta
tutss give to every alien the right,
after five years residence in this cOun-
try. TO become a naturalized American
citizen, upon enouucing his alleg lance
to his mother country. There are no
educational qualifications whatever
prescribed as pre-requisite-nO
save q period of residence here, a
remuneration of any other natl nal al
legiauce, and. finally, an oath 10 sups
port cOpstit tuition which is. and will
remain as little comprehended by him
as the archaics cipherings on pre-
historic monuments.
During the late election in Austin,
the weitec was, for some hours, an in
ierested spectator at the various poll
ing places. 1t was forcible impress: d
upon him then what a travesty are our
federal laws on this subject. The
traffic in Mexicans was unusually spi-
rited. These Mexicans repre- ented
the lowest type OF their kind-'gnOrant
and unable to speak iut5lligently. Or TO
comprehe nd a single sentence OF the
language of the realm they had adopt
ed as their home. The war hos ses had
seen to it, though, that they availed
themselves of the privilege OF becem=
ing fullhedged citizens, and when the
day came to vote, they were herded,
like so many cattle to the polls. There,
in direct violation of the state election
lawsuit proceeding made necessa-
nv in order to avail themselves of fed
eral privilegss-these Mexicans were
escorted within the voting booths by
an interpreter, provided for the oceas-
ion. Upon interpretiOD, without oath
concerning the voters's inteni ion, the
ballot was prepared. All the while
this farce was being perpetratrd, the
newly made American citizen stood by,
absolutely unable to comprehend or
appreciate the nature OF the proceed
ing. Nevertheless, by law he was en-
titled to exercise and did exercise, as
wei ehty an Influence as that exerts
by the most Intelligent and patriotic
citizen. These votes, made in the man.
ner detailed above, wee pi,ted
against, and rendered of no account,
the ballots of upright and enlightened
men.
1t is o apparent TO all who have
given the subject any thought that the
lsxity of our f. deral laws on this sub
jet permits and encourages great
frauds in our election. 1t has been
held by the supreme court of the Unit
d States no violation of the personal
right of suffrage to restrict such
right by state legisla ton, on educa-
tional grounds, Here, then, seems to
be an opppr, unity for reform. It were
better to disfranchise half of our popu=
lation, even at the peri of destroying
the idea of popular government, than
to leave open the avenues of corrup-
ton, and furnish the means at each
succeeding election to stifie the voice
of our best citize hip.
j. Bouldin Rector, in the Alcalde.