The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-02-09
SOLDIERS HOME VOTE.
Claimed Bill Attempts to Disfranchise
Veterans.
From the Leavenworth Times.1

lFrom the Leavenworth T1mes.1
The bill introduced into the Kansas
legislature by DR.. C. C. Goddard of
this city, the intent of which would
be to dfsfranchise the members of the
soldiers home, is an effort to revive
an old controversy that should and will
fal!. The right of the veterans to par
tlclpate in the elections has already
Deen established beyond question and
justice
The contention that the veterans are
not taxpayers and therefore should be
deprived of the privilege of exercising
at all. There are any number Of voters
IN the county of Leavenworth and
state OF Kansas who are not taxpayers
and upon the same ground the ballot
could consistently be withheld from
them The right of suffrage in Kansas
Is based on manhood and not prop
erty qualification
The Union soldiers who fought in
the civil war should be accorded the
ballot. In all the southern states the
soldiers in the Confederate homes ex-
erclse full suffrage, and their right to
participate in elections is never ques-
toned. We believe that the veterans
who fought to save the Union should
De allowed the same privilege. They
vote in Ohio, Illinois and other states
where National Soldiers homes are To-
Gated.
Constitutionally the privileges of the
ballot can not be withheld from any
man except for limited number of
reasons, which do not apply in single
instance to members of the Soldiers
nome. Democratic politicians have
made two efforts to disfranchise the
veterans of the home since a bill was
passed through congress ceding to
Kansas Jurisdiction over the Soldiers
nome reservation, which gave them
the right to vote, and they failed on
each occasion.
In the Spencer-Cory election contest
the contention was set up that the vet
Grams were paupers and members of an
almshouse. The supreme court of Kan
sas unanimously decided that such was
not the case and that the veterans
were entitled to every right of citizen
ship.
In the second election contest of Kir-
meyer against Jeffries, the contention
was made that the veterans came to
the National Home as a merely tenn
porary abiding place. In that contest
over 400 veterans were subpoenaed as
witnesses and brought into court here.
Each and every one of them swore that
they came here to make their home
permanently. The Democratic politi-
clans who tried to disfranchise them
were beaten at every point.
1t Is decidedly questionable whether
disposed to do it, could legally dis
franchise these Union soldiers. 1t is
the opinion of Leavenworth attorneys,
both Democratic and Republican, who
have been through many election con-
tests, that the only way in which the
veterans could be disfranchised would
be by the Kansas legislature passing a
kill ceding jurisdiction over the Sol
dfers' Home reservation back to thu
federal government this to be followed
by the acceptance by congress of such
Jurisdiction through a special act.
When the veteran cones to the
Leavenworth Soldiers Home it is in
itself evidence of his final surrender of
home elsewhere Their votes can not
legally be cast here and sent to any
other state or county. The Kansas
and other state Supreme courts have
decided that the right of a voter, if
such right exists, can not be abridged.
In other words if they have a right to