The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1909-08-26
IIT\HERE is no denying" says
The Independent, "that
Oklahoma's first expert

and referendum has not been entirely
satisfactory. 1t has one of the lowest
percentages of foreign born citizens,
yet one voter in every nine paid no
attention to any of the State ques-
TONS This is generally ascribed to
the $4,000 negro voters of the COM
monwealth. The negroes, however,
are not all illiterate, nor are they the
only ones who failed to vote upon
the various referenda. The fault lies
partially with the ballot. One can
vote straight party ticket by mere
ly putting his x in the circle under
the rooster or the eagle There is
no way to vote upon referendum
propositions in such wholesale fash
ION"
THE apparent unconcern with
which the people of the State of
Georgia have regarded every consti-
tutional amendement submitted to
them for ratification at the ballot
box, is one of the most unhealthy
signs of the times. During the past
10 Or Is years a dozen Or more of
these amendments have been sub
mitted to the people, and we fail to
recall single one that failed of pas
sage.
The amendments were not passed
because the voters favored them.
They were carried because the peo-
pie either didn't know or didn't care
anything about the proposed change
in the fundamental law, and because
only the affirmative side was printed
on the lengthy ballot, under the cap
ton Official Democratic Ticket" !"
Some (amendments) are wise, or
unwise, according to the viewpoint
of the individual citizen; but none of
them really represent the intelligent,
thoughtful desire of a majority of
the voters participating in the cleo
tons at which they were adopted
Elberton (Ga.) Star.
In Georgia, it can not be offered
as frail excuse that the negroes had
anything to do with voting the 'Ofi-
cial Democratic Ticket"
Indifference to fundamentals; ig
norance so dire that it votes accord
ing to a kindergarten picture, with
NOut reading; partisan dependence up
on party name alone-it isn't pleas
ant to contemplate such things and
to know that each State could prob
ably show a parallel, if given the
same test.
against granting the vote to women
consist in the allegation that they
are too ignorant, or that 'they
really are not interested and wouldn't
vote if they had the privilege" Love-
ly example of consistency. Why not
take from men the ballot they so
abuse? Wouldn't it be entirely logi-
cal and just to do so if measured
alone by the frequency and the intel
ligence of their use of it? Take the
implication that the average level OF
education is lowered by an influx OF
illiterate foreigners, or by the pres
ence of a native, generally ignorant
race, there would be precious few
sections where manhood suffrage
would be justifable; and, if it were,
the level would have been raised just
as much by the presence of educated
women and girls as by that of the
men and boys.
So much apropos of the widely
quoted remarks of Buchtel, former
Governor of that State, that "only
the dregs of womankind vote in Colo
RADIO. The mothers have to be prac-
tically dubbed to the polls"
Do the "dregs of mankind" consti-
tute the principal voters? Or is it
our best men who contribute the con-
ditions of ignorance and Indifference
complained of?