The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1903-08-20

TERms 81 aeSRs5 Ms1issss zsa5 ,a ssass. advance
this? The reason appears to be that
they have no interest in politics. The
very men-and they are good men too
who organize Civic Improvement
Leagues and work hard and subscribe
funds for any worthy good government
movement, seem to be the very ones to
whom politics mean nothing. It appears
that municipal government in our
country has become so bad that the
"better element" through disgust or
neglect will have nothing to do with it.
They themselves are largely, if not
wholly, to blame for this condition of
affairs by their failure to appear at the
polls on election day.
You never hear of a boodler or heel
or who stays away from the voting
booth, nor does the weak citizen whose
vote is easily influenced or bought stay
away for any trivial reason.
1t is the men who by their natural
endowment, by their wealth, success in
business, education, probity of charac-
ter, are naturally fitted to be the gov
erning power of this country, who are
to blame for the unnatural conditions
surrounding municipal government.
They are to blame for staying away
from the polls upon the slightest ex-
cuse and for no excuse at all. The
daily press of the better sort has been
aware of this condition for years and
has exerted almost superhuman eff
forts to bring out the better vote and
it is only once in while that its efforts
succeed and a reform government re-
suits; which condition lasts but short
while, as before the work of the re-
formers brings fruit, another election
comes along, the natural supporters of
good government stay home and leave
clear field for the professional politi-
clan and his emissaries. These "stay
at homes" may all be honest men, they
may be brave men, willing to die for
their country if need be, but are they
good citizens? Most emphatically NO,
and while not technically guilty of
treason, non-voter is guilty of crime
against good government and good cit
izenship, and if he cannot be made to
see that HE and not the professional
politician is to blame for conditions as
he finds them in our cities and towns,
he should be punished for his blind
ness. Laws should be enacted by every
state compelling every eligible person
to vote under penalty of losing his citi-
zenship and if this was not found suf-
fcient penalty heavy fine should be
added also. In New York I believe
that law has been enacted making
non-voting citizens the first to be called
for jury duty. This law shows that our
legislators are awakening to the evils
of non-voting and also that they recog-
nize that a man who does not vote
should be compelled to serve on jury,
and thus. if by law he can be compelled
to do his duty as citizen by serving
on jury, he can also be compelled to
do his duty as voter.
Therefore suggest that the Civic
improvement Leagues which are Or
ganized and being organized through
out the country should have for their
first bylaw one pledglng every member
of the society to do his duty as citizen
/ by visiting the election booth in bis pre-
cinct and casting his vote for the man
or party of his choice. 1t is doubtful,
/ however, whether such mild methods
would accomplish much good as both
press and pulpit have been urging cit
izens to do their duty on election day
for many years, and instead of an inn
provement, retrogression seems to be
\ the rule, as the number of persons
qualified to vote and who fail to do SO
seems to be on the increase. The law
recognizes such crime as criminal
negligence, and what neglect equals
the non-exercise of the franchise as q
hindrance to good government?
i So it seems to me that the first step
of civic Improvement should be one
/. along the line of municipal reform. To
havemunicipal reform we must have
the votes Of the people and if through
carelessness or antipathy the ones hold
ing the balance of power refuse or
neglect to vote, they should be COM
pelled by law to do so.
i By all means let us have compulsory
j, voting. VEG.