The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-24
The Question of Pure Suffrage

thinking citizen of the United States
ought to praise that grand old Common
wealth for timely recognition of a ter
rible danger threatening our free insti-
tutions, and for applying to ii an effec-
tive, If drastic remedy.
The Maryland election law is viciously
resented by Republican politicians, not
because there is anything unconstitution-
al or unrighteous in its provisions. for
there is not; but because in Maryland, as
in many other States, the sole hope OF
their party is in the illiteracy. and hence
the merchsntability, of large part of the
citizenship. The Maryland law, if opera
tive in Kentucky and Tennessee. would
nearly eliminate the white as well as the
negro Republican vote. But the truth
of this proposition does not alter the fact
that Acknowledgement of Grass ignorance
would be a boon so the country every
where.
All sorts of tentative schemes for pun
ishing Maryland for her effort to purge
herself of the mass of illiteracy that has
given the trusts and moropolies an alb
normal hold upon her politics are being
reyolved in the minds of people who can
not bear the thought that sources of Re
publican success have been cut off in the
State by the action of its government.
But such things are really unimportant.
The common sense and patriotism of the
country approves the law. and will much
tend to securing its imitation in other
regions; that is if our Government is to
continue as community of States, and
not at once change to an imperial regime
at Washington, with the so-calied States
reduced to the status of provinces or pre-
lectures.
The question presented in the proposal
to contine the suffrage to persons who
have at least an elementary English edu-
cation is not one for partisan but for
scientific political consideration. Ignor-
ance and its coroIlary. vice. are organized
in the great city of New York in the in
terests of Democracy; in Philadelphia,
equally in the interests of Republicanism.
The knife if resoIutely applied to the
sore would hurt the one in the first and
the other in the second instance. But the
result of the operation in both cases
would be blessing to the American peo-
pie.
1t is not alone the Southern States that
need to protect themselves against cor
runt government through the power of
VI -'NAAtNfA hi'iiblfpAS lhilhNl4Gt ONtT lSUOE-
ance, but Northern and Eastern States
as well. The necessity applies quite as
much TO Maine and Vermont, in the
matter of admitting ignorant French Ca
nadians to citizen privileges. as it does to
New York and other large seaports in
connection with the absorption of ignor-
ant Hungarians, Italians Greeks. Turks,
Aralians, and Irish into the body poll
tic. Experience has shown conclusively
that the old sentimental doctrine of I'M
restricted manhood suffrage is delusion
and snare. II renders il easy for dema-
sogues to obtain control of foreign ele-
ments utterly unable to know what they
are doing politically. and through our
fatally liberal system of naturalization
10 handle and vote them. not in blocks
of FIVE, but in blocks of hundreds or thou
sands exactly as the party bosses may
wish, upon payment to the padgones, or
pantatas, or whatever they may be call
ed in the argot OF criminal politics, of
the price fixed.
1t outrages the simplest concept of
representative government that the re-
cent immigrant from Europe or Asia Mi
nor should be permitted man for man the
personal influence in the election OF a
mayor, a Governor. or n President that
is welded by the chief of an American
commercial house or the head Of a great
university who perhaps has devoted years |
OF his life to the study of social ques-
lions and political science. Yet that is |
What happens. and what leads TO the |
sbominable rule of corruption and loot in |
lyew York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Boston. |
End in every other important centre Of |
population in the land. The man who is /
too illiterate to be able to read the daily |
papers and so inform himself of the ma
ture of public questions upon which his
voice is TO be heard and his ballot count
ed at the polls, Is clearly not equtably
entitled to take part in the decision of
those questions As an academic propo-
sItion we might go much further and hold
that in principle at least, voter should
be something more than merely a male /
human biped, twenty-one years OF age,
and able to spell out the names Of candi-
dates on the ticket he is induced or paid
20 vote. He should have some stake in
the country he is helping to furnish with
rulers. either as a property owner or a
contributor in some reasonable degree to
the public purse. And this is especially |
true OF the franchise in municipalities as
related strictly TO municipal affairs For
the proper purposes of local government
and administration IN cities they should
he regarded and treated solely as the |
business and non-political corporations
they are I'm theory 1t is shameful and
wicked that the taxes paid by great com
mereiai and Industrial communities for
municipal expenses and improvements
should be controlled and wasted by ele-
ments which do not bear fraction Of
the burden But this is a topic which IL
is not needful to press at the present mo-
ment In due course. no doubt 1t will be-
come the subject OF discussion and aglta-
lion. just now II is enough to call ma
tional attention to the crying evil Of Hit
eraey In the voting mass, and to seek its
abolition. In accomplishing the reform
no injustice would be done to any citizen.
Each among the DISTINGUISHED could
quickly remove his disability by learning
10 read and write. IL the right to partic-
ipate actively in the government of one l,