The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1901-10-30

One OF it's results was the acquisition o
Porto Rico and the Philippine Islands
Mr.. Ross discussed at length the quec
tions, constitutional and otherwise
arising in the settlement of the status Of
the new possessions acquired frou
Sp in, ably defending the policy OF &C
QUESTION and the legal and cvnstitu
onal determination OF the status oil
these possessions in their relation tC
: the government of the United S ates
as phases Of the exercise by the ma.
ton OF the right OF self defense.
Taking up The constitu ioual matter
OF The consent OF the governed, and
the ascertainment of consent through
the fundamentally Of he ballot, "the
fountain Of I'll power in our form OF
government" Mr.. Ross urged that the
God-given rights OF self defense de.
mands that careful attention should be
given in selecting those wno are given
the right to cast the ballot. Those who
witld this primary source Of govern
mental power should be both intell-
gent and honest, especially honest,
otherwise their unwise action may
overthrow this government "of the
people, for the people, by the people"
How can the danger element in the
exercise of the right OF self defense be
eliminated from among those who ex-
ercise the elective frauchistp This
and related questions Mr.. Ross regard.
ed as matters OF grave difficulty. Doe
danger element in the exercise of the
franchise is the criminal class, another
the Indifferent, another those who PROF.
titute it to the base purpose Of buying
and selling, directly or indirectly, its
use for gan. To defend the nation
against the dangers threatened from
these sources stringent and effective
we shCud be enacted.
pFirst, parsons convicted of crime
punishable by confinement in penal
Institutions should be forever d 9prived
OF the fran chse by constitutional pr =
vision.
Second, the elective franchise i'm
poses duty as well as confers right.
No man should long enjoy the righ,
who neglects to discharge the duty.
Hence there should be law providing
that voting for elective officers be
by check list, and voters neglectipg TO
vote for a specified period OF time, for
example, two ears, shall be stricken
from the che OK list and not restored till
five years or other specified period has
elapsed, unless 1t is clear that sickness
or other disability was the reason for
not voting. Such law would tend to
enforce the discharge Of this duty and
render unnecessary The expenditure of
money for voters time or for bring
ing him to the polls.
Thirdly, the use of money in cleo
tons is the danger element most diff
cult to encounter successfully. With
out doubt any person who for money
or other consideration will sell his vote,
and any person who will buy it, should
by law lose the right to vote. Any
man who holds such low and degrad-
ing views in regard TO right 30 i'm
portant to the we'll being of the COM
mum y and the life and stability of The
nation is unfit to exercise the right,
and in the exercise Of the right Of self
defense it should be taken from him.
Mr.. Ross enumerated the dangers
which menace the purity Of the fran
chlse and which have long been the
subject Of dis curse. To apply to
IpooO thO law VI Gull uO'cbcC 10 ullu-
cult matter. He suggested Corrupt
Practice Act, like law in England,
enacted at time when a shameful use
OF money and corrupt practices con-
rolled nearly all elections 10 Parlia-
ment. Mr.. Ross indicated some of the
corrupt practices against which such a
statute should be aimed.
A measure which part of the pee
Pile OF this State have strenuously ad-
vocated was strongly favored by the
speaker-a law regulating the election
aud action OF parry caucuses and con-
ventiOns. The Australian ballot law,
M. Ross truly SAID, which pract cally
nrecndes the voters from electing any
but the nominees Of the ring aud ma
cnlne, furnishes the opportunity by
which such combina ions accomplis h
their purposes, 80 long as the nomina-
tons are made by del gates selected In
caucuses ungoverned by any statutory
regulations. Primary caucuses should
be surrounded by the same safeguards
as are thrown around elections. No
safeguards are placed around the max
ing of nominations. He suggested for
the warning and control of the prim-
aries law similar to the one recently
enacted in Minnesota, under the oper-
alton of which the d. niger arising from
political rings and machine bosses
would be eliminated or greatly les
sened