Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-05-08
WHY We ARE M|SCOVERNED
Need of Short Bal
lot il People Instead
of Politicians Are to
Control :: !: :: ::

elections under the present Philadel
phIa system they would get the same
kind OF government that the Philadel
phIans are now getting for themselves
And likewise II the people OF Philadel
phia were transferred TO Glasgow the
government of that city would con
tinue to be one of the best in the world
year after year and election after cleo
ton. Human nature Is the same IN
Philadelphia and Glasgow.
Apathy, Indifference. are reiqfire. de-
pending entirely upon how much is de-
manded. Suppose, for instance. there
were but one polling place FOR an en-
tire city. So that the citizens must
travel considerable distances on cleo
tion day In order to east their votes.
Immediately we should confront the
phenomenon Of decreased vote-more
apathy" as compared with the pres
ent condition, where there Is polling
place at every barber shop.
Suppose we put the polling place ten
miles out OF town on the top of Il
mountain. so that every citizen had TO
go out and scramble all day to get
there-we should have n still smaller
vote. Most of the citizens would stay
I'm town and attend 20 their own busi-
ness. and the reformers would say In
disgust. "rne citizens are supremacy
apathetic and Indifferent and won't do
their duty" Yet the people OF the
town are the same people all the time
no more ieally apathetic than when
the full vote turned out on election
day under the other conditions.
That Is what l mean By saying that
apathy is relative, depending entirely
upon how much is required.
The Profession of Citizenship.
We have made citizenship even more
inaccessible to the people than have
described when put the polling place
on the mountain top. If you and !
could, by walking ten miles and climb
Ing n mountain once Il year. become ef-
fective participants in politics 1t Is not
at all unlikely that we would make the
effort. But we have system OF poll
tics so elaborate by reason OF the null
tipllcity of elective offices that Citizen
ship has come TO be considered a sep
arate profession. That is the very
climax Of inaccessibility; it removes
citizenship to distance equivalent to
a years journey.
Every citizen knows that. reformers
to the contrary, little is gained In the
effectiveness of the citizen by attend
ance at caucuses and primaries. A cit
izen must become so familiar with po-
liticai workings, so strenuous in his
opinions and In his political activity,
tina. he becomes member Of the little
conclaye that meets previous to the
caucuses to set the tables for the cleo
torate, before he begins to exercise any
real contro, over he business of nomi-
nation and election. He can do that
only at the serious sacrifice OF other
business. In consequence the men who
become ana remain effective poiiti-
clans are either men who find In poll
tics satisfactory remuneration or else
the leisure class, including miliionaires
and tramps.
The hope OF America does not lie
with any such class as this. but rather
with the men whose time Is too valua-
BILE to permit them to go into politics.
When we make politics a profession
: we automatically exclude % per cent
! OF the voters-the great unbribabIe
mass Of the community. To restore
control TO 100 per cent OF the people,
to secure democracy in place Of gov
ernmcnt By politicians. we must so
simplify politics thai Il win no longer
constitute a separate profession. We
must simplify Il until a busy man can
In bis scanty spare time become SUN.
GENTLY versed in its mysteries, to be
come effective.
To simplify politics means that we
f, must strive 10 approach our ideal OF
an election. where the candidates come
forward. to get full hearing and each
voter selects his favorite and has a
reason.
The "short Ballot
One test Of practicahility Is the need
for a "tickes" or label" to guide tbs
voter, and when We call for the seiec
ton Of ten. twenty OF thirty officials
on one day we ind that the people be
gin 10 vote by tickets. by party lahel'
. instead Of by men. giving themselves
over blindly 20 the guidance OF poll
I ticians-
But q Is certainly possible TO cleo
: one man On one day in ideal fashion
I Experience has demonstrated that be
yond a doubt The experience Of Ger
J tain western cities that are govefne'
BY commissions Of Eve elected OF
nnnpartiSan ballot shows that the sv
ersZe citizen can manage 10 select Nv
! separate favorite candidates vithou
the sid Of a ticket Whether the exac
1 limit l. Gee ~ ~ or earen n a