Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1901-10-24

POLITICAL.

Inc OluCldl DdirJb lOl lLI5 JCtA "'4-
contain ten columns, nine of which will
have the usual circles and voting
squares, and the blank column. The
nine parties named are the, Republican,
Democratic, Prohibition, Soc. Labor, Peo-
pies, Union. Municipal League, Public
Opinion, Public Ownership and below
the columns the import of the two pro-
posed amendments to the State Constl-
tuition are indicated and squares pro-
vided for Yes or No vote. Make X
opposite the Yes in both. The names
of the nominees will be seen on the
election proclamation.
At Harrisburg, last Saturday, the
Dauphin Co Court declared the nomina-
ton of E. A. CoraY for State Treasurer,
by the Democratic State Central Com
mittee to be invalid, for the reason that
the Democratic State Executive Conn
nittee that nominated Coray for State
Treasurer was illegally constituted.
Therefore Coray was not legally noml-
mated and his name could not be print
ed in the Democratic column on the Of
fetal ballot until he was chosen at a
legally constituted meeting of the Dem
ocratic committee. In anticipation OF
this opinion the committee was called
to meet Tuesday. when Coray was re-
nominated. All the Philadelphia dele
gates, who had been expelled, were
present, and voted for Coray.
THIS State has taken the first steps
looking to the introduction of person
al registration in having the Legisla-
ture pass. during the last session, the
proposed Constitutional Registration
Amendment that will come before the
people in November for adoption.
Laws requiring personal registration
are in operation in Massachusetts,. New
York and other States, and without
exception they are found to work most
satisfactorily. 1t is only question OF
time when the adoption of this form OF
registering voters will come into gen.
and works to the equal advantage of
all political parties.
The proposed amendment, while a
step in this direction. will not compass
the desired reforms in the election
methods of the State. 1t is merely an
entering wedge to future legislation
that will have to be enacted at sub
sequent sessions in the General Assem-
bly,. Under the present Constitution,
personal registration is an impossible
ity. but with the adoption of the amend
ment it opens the way to such laws as
may be enacted regulating the registra-
tion of voters.
This is best explained by the Ian
guage Of the amendment, which is to
that section Of the Constitution defin-
ing tIB'qualifcatioa.-ce-efeerUrs The
-~svs4cr &C present reads:
Every male citizen, twenty-one
years Of age, possessing the following
qualifications, shall be entitled to vote
at all elections.
As amended the section will read as
follows.
n EVERY male citizen, twenty-one
years of age, possessing the following
qualifications shall be entitled to vote
at all elections, subject, however. to
such laws requiring and regulating the
registration of electors as the General
Assembly may enacts'
The amendment likewise recognizes
the difference between the conditions
in the larger cities and those of the
country districts. To provide for this
it is proposed to change the following
section.
''All laws regulating the holding OF
elections by the citizens or for the
registration of electors shall be uni
form throughout the State but no
eIector shall be deprived of the priv
ilage Of voting by reason of his name
not being registered.
AS amended this section will read:
'.All laws regulating the holding of
elections by the citizens or for the reg
istration of electors shall be uniform
throughout the State, but the laws regu-
lating and requiring the registration of
cities only, provided that such laws be
uniform for cities of the same class"
WHILE there has been a disposition
during the early days of the campaign
to ignore the Amendment to the Con-
stitution, which will be voted upon at
the November election, it now is being
made one of the issues of the political
contest in the State. The Registration
Amendment is of the greatest import
ance, and it should not be lost sight of
in the bitter factional and partisan con-
test which is waging around the cleo
tion Of State and county officers. Not
withstanding the prominence given rec
emily to the proposed amendment, there
is a noticeable lack of knowledge on the
part Of many persons concerning the
import and effect of the Registration
Amendment. While in itself it does
not provide for personal registration,
vet it places within the hands of the
Legislature power to enact personal
registration laws at such future time
as may be deemed best by the law
making body of the State. This would
be positive stride in the direction of
reform in the election methods of the
State. and as such should receive the
unanimous support of all voters ire
spective of party or factional alliances.
THE proposed amendment to the Con-
stitution permitting the General AS
sembly to pass laws requiring personal
registration as qualification for vot-
ing, ought to be adopted by the people.
The ballot box is the source of all leg.t-
innate authority in this country, and
every additional safeguard that can be
thrown around it helps to make our lib
critics that much more secure.
THE president of Yale College has
published little volume on education
in which he emphasizes the fact that
character is infinitely more value
than talents or brilliancy, and that the
safety of the State is in the integrity OF
its citizens
THERE are 76, SOB, 3S7 people in the
United States. according to the fina,
census report. Contrary to the genera
notion, there are considerably. more
males than females their preponderanct
amounting to 1,S15,097 This excess oi
males is attributed in large measure tC
Immigration, which is mostly male