The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1907-10-25
Reristrstion in England.

Mr.. Anthony J. Drexel, who has spent
much OF bis time during recent years In
England, has had the distinction OF be.
ing struck of the voters list on the
very good ground Of being an alien. II
Il 4 double distinction fer him, because
as rule Americans find the utmost din.
Guilty in psrsuading registration officers
that they are really foreigners not en-
titled to a vote. The same registration
olIieer will do everything In his power
10 nuilify the attempts Of the Russian.
the German or the Austrian At having
himself placed on the voters list, but
somehow or other he cannot persuade
himself to look on the American In the
same light. The moment you take a
house or a fiat tho eanvassers Of the
political parties put down your name e.
an eligible voter. and unless the officer
who L appointed to scrutinize the lists
il assured by someone's objection that
the case Is genuine you are put on the
official list, from which nothing can re-
move you for 9 year at least. And what
Il more, once you are on the list you
are entitled to vote. In this way 1t hap
pens frequently that women's names are
put down, and It has happened, too, that
the persons thus favored have taken ad.
vantage Of the situation and deposited
their vote. This applies only to parlia-
mentary votes--for all householderss ir-
respective Of nationality or sex, are en-
titled to vote on local question. know
half a dozen American citizens, who
arc regularly parliamentary voters,
merely because they failed In convincing
the authorities that they were aliens,
I once found my name on d prospective
voters list, and as | wanted to avoid
the necessity Of being called for jury
duty and also escape the blandishments
81 male and female eanvassers for can.
didates, | went 10 the local headquar.
ters Of one Of the political parties and
informed the agent that ! would Like Il
have INV name removed on the ground
of my foreign nationality.
Are you q Frenchmana" be asked
mo-
"a German"
NO
"a Russianf"
tsN0. I am an American"
@Oh, that's all right You are not an
alient. and don't think you ought K
ask to be taken off Americans art
really Englisnmen and are certainly en-
TITLED to vote
Nothing could induce this man to be-
| iieve that | was an alien, and SO | was
put on the official list, with the conse
quenee that, although | did not vote,
was called for jury duty within a month
wrote 10 the clerk Of the court, in
forming him that as | was not a British
subject could hardly be expected to sit
in Judgment on Briton, and he replieS
BY quoting the voters list against me
also informing me that failure to ap
pear az the court, six miles from MI
door, would entail unpleasant conse
auenees in the shape Of heavy fine anC
perhaps Imprisonment. So / went ant
appealed in person without avail. ! wa
\ appointed foreman Of grand jury whicl
had before it long calendar Of murder
and other crimes, and there was pros
peet Of weeks labor; but just as thl
oath was about to be administered
remembered that ] could not swear o.
behalf Of 'our gracious sovereign, KIM
! Edward" and said so, whereupon thl
/ Judge, red faced and irritable, ordered
me to step down and out, and | hav'
not been asked to serve again.--kron
Town and Country.