The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1904-11-23
Editorial Department.
By F. w. Meyers 81
THE SOLID SOUTH.

InE SUlIU SUUIn.
Solid in it's prejudice. its pride, its
ignorauc. its inhumanity, the South
remains constant menace to the pro-
gress and stability of the Republic. 1t
presents the strange anomaly of the
living in the midst of dem
ocracy. Intelligent, active, argumenta-
tive opposition is not n calamity, it is q
check upon extravaganza, upon inn
pulsiveness. upon lll-advised enthusi-
assn But the dull, dead, sullen oppo-
sitien of toe South is distinct menace.
The refusal to consider any publ C
question upon Its merits, the willing
ness to bliadly follow any ism" that
promises to maintain the Southern
oligarcby, places the South as distinct
and separate part of the Nation, a sec
ton. having almost nothing in common
with the life and aspirations and patri-
otism of the .emalnder of the great
Republic.
The Republican party will utterly
fail in its duty if it fails to read in the
late election returns warrant for such
procedure as shall make of this country
a vast democracy instead of having the
limits of free government confined by
Mason's and Dixons line.
The republic could not endure part
free and part slave neither can it endure
part democracy and part oligarchy. In
our opinion the effort to restrict re-
presentation in those states where the
ballot is denied, while perhaps a step
in the right direction, fails to strike at
the root of the difficulty and offers in
centive for wide spread election frauds.
1t does not guarantee the ballot to all
citizens, it simply means that more If
1 the ruling class ia the South would 90
to the polls or that the naive and pure
ly southern system Of ballot box stuff
ing would again come in vogue.
n Evils in our electoral system do not
exist in the South alone. The first
great principle to be Acknowledged
and put in force is, that National elec-
tions belong TO the Nation and not to
the state OF municipality
This principle being recognized il
follows, first that there should be es-
ia bllshed basis Of Federal 'suifrag e
alike IN all states, second that Federal
elections should be in charge of feder-
al officials and third that Federal cleo
lions should be separate and distinct
from every other election.
There is no good reason why women
should be allowed to vote for President
in Colorado aud net in Iowa, there is
no good reason why foreigner should
become voter on National electors
much sooner in one state than another
there is no good reason why the prop.
erty, educational or other requirements
should not be the same throughout the
United States.
If the people in Colorado wish to ex-
tend the suffrage to women as regards
the affairs of their own state, all we'll
ahd good, it concerns no one but them
selves, but to allow the state 30 grant Z
National suffrage concerns all oil Us
and is fair neither to the men nor U
the women of other states.
II is of in6nitesmal Importance u
the people of Iowa as to the admins
tration of the state or local affairs o.
Georgia, but the election of asCongress'
man or the casting of vote in the
electoral college is matter that effects
us all.
There can be no sound argument
against universal suffrage law.
Granting the universal Importance o.
the Federal election there can be nC
valid objection to their control by Ma
tional officials, any more than there is
valid objection to the administration O.
Federal courts by.Federal officers.
In order that questions OF the Nation
be decided on their merits and divorced
as far as possible from matters purel,
state or local Importance it would be
best were the Federal elections helt
on separate day and that on that day
the people should be asked to sdecidt
only national issues.
1t is absurd to ask the voter, M
matter what his intelligence, to decid,
every question from the currency tt
the selection of a township assessor, OF
the same day and on the same ballot.
| The partisan urges that strons
| National ticket helps to pull veal
state or local ticket through: the pa
I triot answers thata weak state or loca
1 ticket ought not to be pulled through
neither should strong national tickle
be weakened because of poor nomin
alton for assessor or coroner.
The argument of the partisan is al
J. ready weakened by the action of sucl
states as Missouri. Massachusetts, Min
nesota and Colorado, Fwhere republica
electors and democratic governor