Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-01-03
CITIZENSHIP Apx SUFFRAGE

ctrtzrNsHIp ADN SUFFRAGE
Many public Journals, In discussing n
question that relates to utnh affairs
speak Of persons who were disffan-
chiscd by the Edmunds act rs being
mo longer citizens Of the United
states" This displays q sad lack Of
information and lamcntabie Ignorance
Of law.
When Congress determined TO
solve the Mormon problem by I'd.
hitting utoh into the Union as a state
the Enabling Act was 20 worded that
former political disabilities should b.
removed. It provided.
"That nii male citizens over the age
Of tweuiy.oup yeara, who have resided
IN said Territory FOR one year prior 70
such election. are hereby authorized 10
vote for aud choose dc'cEnteH 10 form
convention In said Territory
Also that
persons possessing the qualifications
emitting them To- vote Tor delegates IN.
der this net. shall hp entitled o. vote
ON the ratification or rejection ~ thla
Constitution under such rules or reg
ulHtions ns said convention may pre-
scribe not In conflict with this act
And further:
"rhnt an acts or parts u acts In con-
ricf with the provisions Of this act
whether passed by the Legislature ~
said Territory dr b. Congress are
hereby repealed"
Tho constitutional Convention was
held and State CONSTITUTION WIS
framed. by delegates elected under tho
foregoing provisions Pcrsons VINO
were previously under the
disabilities created by the Ed
munds net, participated In the work
Of the Constitutional Convention, those
disabilities having been removed by the
Enabling Act The State Constitution
among other things, prescribed tho fol-
lowing 60 regulate the elective fran
chisoi
"rycry cltigon ~ tho United states.
NJ tho nae OF tw.nty.nnr yf1ra ana up.
wards. who shall have been ~ citizen
Tor ninety DAYS. aud shall have resided
in the State M Territory one year IN
tho county four months. nud ~ tho pre-
cinct sixty days next preceding any
election. shall be- entitled to vote ~
such elections" etc.
The eligibility ~ all citizens. male
aud female. having the prescribed resi-
d.nce. TO vote at elections IN the state
of t'tah was thus established beyond
question. Tho qualifications to hold
Office were made similar. except In some
special Instances which rcquir" de-
nned age and residence suitable 10 the
particular Office Designated
The state Constitution was found TO
be- In full compliance with the provif-
ions OF the Enabling Act. and was
therefore certified to by proclamation
OF the President of the United States
and 70 Utah stands on an equal foot
Ing with an other states Of the Union
and possesses fuii power 10 prescribe
the qualifications Tor voting ana Office
holding within her borders.
The qualifications Tor senator or
Representatives IN Congress. with the
exception OF axe. are those NJ electors
and holders In the respective
states.
nut some N our friends ~ the press
stumble over the word citizen" They
Imagine that n a man does not possess
the elective franchise he IL not ciu-
ron. Thsy confound the two rights
citizenship and suffrage.
Evory person born In the United
sthtoa or who has become natural
iAed under tho laws " ciu'
zen thereof. Every child. male
or female. Il a citlEen. Tho
suffrage II another thing entirely II
h conferred by law and tho provisions
concerning II may be- different In one
state "a those In another. Women are
citiren-. equally with men. everywhere
IN tho Union. ilut they do not hold
tho suffrage anywhere except In u few
atatcs. one Of which IN Utah.
4 man H. q citizen n born or natural-
lied In the United States. whether he
possesses the qualifications of a voter
nr not Taking from him the fran
chlae does not deprive him OF citlzon-
ship. RcHtoriuE Il viii not make him
any more "a citizen than be- was before
that restoration.
II these simple facts are undcrstoo1
clearly. some Of our contemporaries In
Utah and elsewhere viii save thcm-
solves from much error In commenting
ON current Utah AFFAIRS and All should
understand that the disability under
which some persons were placed by
acts n Congress In the SOS Wcrc ~
moved whom the Enabling Act was
passed. and no longer have any exist
cncr, politically or otherwise