The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-06-02

thrown out. 1t was found that i3o yotes
We're cast, so according to her own show
ing. even admitting that her figures are
while, by my fgures, there had been seven
Does the fact that there were only thrfe
instead Of seven illegal votes cast make a
Inference In the final resultf Would nor
that be 'stufhng the bailotf' very mild
and Intellectual stuffing, IL Is true hut n
'stufhng according 10 the meaning Of
the term. And the principle remains the
Mrs. Mills accounts for those three nv
saying Several visiting club women and
chairmen Of committees voted They nm.
derstood that they had right to vote for
stood that when Mrs. Terrell then pres 3.
dent Of the federation, announced very
clearly several times from the platform
that only delegates and members OF ms
executive board could voteY Mrs Nil s
adds: Each ballot was signed by the
delegate who cast It, SO the riddle was
easily solved" Now Il seems to me IN Il
the fact that the riddle was easily solved
does not make the riddle" In any degree
less regrettable The principle Involved
seems TO me to he the same, and 1t is that
principle that appealed to me-
To my way OF thinking the privilege that
men have OF voting Is one that should I've
held as sacred trust, and I regard tho
man who is Indifferent to the call for !
vote for municipal or National officer, M
very nearly ms neglected. of his duty As
the sentry who falls asleep on his post in
the hour of danger and the man who votes
with deliberate dishonesty as only n little
less criminal than the traitor who sells hi,
country In time of war. In fact | do moi
know that the crime Is not every whit a.
black, for 1t Is one that does not shocl
others but spreads Its own corruption IN
! definitely. Now, where Is the boy-fathel
| to tho man--to learn to be pure ana up
| right II not from the mother. and IL Ia,
| source he defiled by self-sceklng, simply n
! difference TO right, how can we expect tn,
| men to be good and staunch and truel
| may take these things too much to heart
| but II seems 10 me that VIC can not hiv
| the vital principle of truth and honesty 10
| much 10 heart. Every day we see abo
us the miserable results Of dishonesty an,
| men have grown TO think 1t no crime Z
buy or sell their votes or to USE thci
offices for the purpose of making VIVA
they can out OF them. honestly or dishor
estly. We sec men selling their manhoo
for the return Of office or contracts q
some special promotion Shall not the
the women set higher and better eNampl
than this Of srhcnling and Lobbying an
Illegal voting? woman, the last the hes
rPscrv'd of Gnd," should teach such purit
and truth that men would he ashamed
offend her.
Mrs, Mills, says she does not ask for cha
~. Nor do ! think the women VIZ
entitled to charity If they had been ~
educated women from the slums Of IN
cities. without training. without opporirl
ty tor knowing better then, indeed. coul
find charity and excuse for them In m
heart. but these were the represrnta'l'
women Of the State the very brightest Z,
ceverest of the land. and we had n r Z
to expect better than this, can not 81
who Is TO blame, but that some ono hi
done wrong there Is no doubt, and | e.
that the wrong should be cried out again
and vigorously fought before II has sprco
and | would feel that II held my peat
would be helping the evil to spread
would he stnu'linv by silently 'co"sentir
unto the death" of honesty and truth.
Margaret IIadley Foster.