The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-30
SUFFRAGE RESTRICTION
Given as a Political Panacea To Cure
the Nations Ills.

Buffalo Express.
Roderick Smith. of this city, who has in
teresting views on political matters, said
yesterday that he believed he had found
"a remedy for graft, corruption, bossism,
vice. ignorance and imbecility in American
politics" He added:
Grover Cleveland in his recent Chicago
address, spoke OF the forces of greed. The
Wall-street Journal lately presented
strong editorial-"The Army of Graft Mr..
Bryan, in the New York Evening Post,
short time ago. published a letter on negro
suffrage These subjects are related Each
considers. in part, the present political
character of the American people
I'm the good old Puritan days of John
Cotton, John Eliot, Thomas Hooker and
Roger Williams, only church members, as
rule. were allowed to vote. Later the
suffrage was extended with a property
qualification. In Washington's time about
40 per cent. OF adult males were without
votes. Benjamin Franklin said: To allow
those to vote for legislators who have no
landed property is an impropriety.' Every
constitution of the original States required
property qualification for voters. In
Jeffersons time the suffrage was widened.
In Jackson's time and later, the suffrage
was extended, unqUalifedly, to all white
men. In Linc0ln's time the suffrage was
again extended so to cover all white
men, and, all at once, all black men
Within recent years ii has been proposed
to still further extend the suffrage so that
it shall include all white men, all black
men and all women. The latter have gained
their point some subjects in seVeral
States, for instance the educatlonai ques-
ton. 1t seems 10 me that We are suHerlng
gro. IF AarnnnraRX In
right exists to extend the elective frahchlse
the right also exists to reduce and 10
limit it.
black man should vote unless he has a
franchise certificate. and, what Is much
more to the point, do not believe that any
n franchise certificate. The South has the
negro problem The North has the CRATER
problem. One is about as bad as the
other.
Long ago the English republic went to
pieces because of the generally unripe char
acter of its citizens. john Milton, secretary
of state for Richard Cromwell, informs US
that the people of his day were AN incon-
slant, irrational, hapless herd, begotten TO
servility,' and so being, utterly unflt TO run
republic. They were pleased to call a
and, when he came, they almost licked his
shoes.
Milton suggested that the Suffrage
should be limited to those OF known integ-
do not ask for much as Milton asked
for, but it does not seem unreasonable that,
| in order to protect the American Republic,
voters should be required to pass an exam
| ination upon the fundamental principles
| upon which modern republics rest. The
place TO purify the stream is at its source.
| The public school boys pass examinations,
| why should not voters? If you pass the ex-
| animation you get five-year, nontransfer-
| able franchise certificate; if not, you can
| vote. Show your competency. Examina-
tons to be held under the supervision OF
| the federal or state courts. Loss of the
| suffrage by any man, of course, not to
| prejudice his rights as an American citi-
| zen Every five years you renew your GER
tificate by another and more severe exam
| nation.
'This project can be worked out through
| Congress enactment, and, / think, the
| votes can be had to pass it in Congress.
The South is solid. How is the North? We
! shall see.
Jefferson said: The elective franchise, II
| guarded as the ark of our safety, will
| peaceably dissipate all combinations to sub
| vert a constitution dictated by the wisdom,
! and resting on the will of the people, To-
| day the election franchise is guarded hardly
| at all. Americans may yet be driven TO
! take action similar to that here proposed In
! order to save what has been gained. Re-
striction of the suffrage is not a party
| question at the present time"