Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-10-03
NORTH DAKOTAN URGES
VOTING BY MAIL PLAN
Representative Young Says Ad-
vantages Of System We're Demon
strated at Primary.

Voting by mail from Washington Is
urged by Representative Young Of North
Dakota. His state has taken up CORE
spondence method Of voting and tried it
out in the recent primaries to the great
satisfaction Of every man who had to be
away from home at balloting time
Speaking Of the subject today, Repre-
sentative Young pointed out the advan-
tage that a voting-by-mail law would
be to the thousands Of Washington men
who retain a voting residence in the
various states and who have to pay 81
to $500 in railroad fare for the privilege
of exercising it.
"A lot Of these congressman are wor.
ried because they fear they won't get
home to vote" said Representative
Young, as he explained his states vot-
ing-by-mail law, but the North Dakota
delegation will vote by mail If neces-
sary.
State Blazes the Trail.
North Dakota has once more blazed
the trail. Our state legislature passed an
aosent-voters law during the session OF
1913. At the primary election held in
absent voters enjoyed the rare privilege
of having their votes recorded. The
wording Of the law is very simple, and
fully safeguards the purity of the bal
lot. Every citizen who knows he will
not be able to be at home election day
either the primary election or the gen
eral election, writes to the county audi
tor of his county for an absent voter
To s< f1e
1t back to the auditor, who places II
with the election supplies to be sent to
his voting precinct. On the envelope is
a short AFFIDAVIT form wherein the voter
makes oath that he has voted it in
secret and that he has not been In
huenced in marking it by the officer be-
fore whom he took the oath. He also
attests to his right to vote. Election day
the absent voters name is entered on
the voting registers and the ballot is de-
posted in the ballot box. the same as
though he were personally present.
Comments on Restrictions.
Our laws have hedged the polls about
with many restrictions. regulations and
rules. made necessary, no doubt, by
the desire to keep the ballot free and
unstained by corruption, and while
these restrictions work benefcially In
so far as they prevent fraud and dis
courage rascaNty, they have also acted
in measure to prevent large num-
Der Of voters from casting their bal
lots and have actually deprived many
sincere and earnest men of q citizen 8
highest privilege. Pre-eminent in t2is
class are the travelling men, intelligent
as few professions are as a whole;
intensely interested in the great ques-
tons discussed and discussing them
from every angle, as they must in
their daily journeys; the first to note
the enect Of every new polieS and law.
touching elbows with all classes as
they do and not circumscribed by a
narrow horizon.
Advocated by Travelling Men.
I'VE know and fully appreciate the
Dakota. They have perhaps been I'M
able to vote, but their opinion as they
have travelled from town to town has
settled grave questions for us, has elect
ed and defeated men, and they have, I
am bound to say. always been on the side
Of honor and decency in politics. It was
through their influence and activity that
the legislature was induced to pass a
law making 1t possible to poll the votes
Of those men and all others called from
home on election day.
The commuter from New Jersey to
New York is interested. He wants to
vote, but he cannot take the day Off
from his business to do so. His own
business or his employers will not per-
init it. Yet II he can take the ballot
in his home and with his wife deliberate
Upon 1t. and mark it slowly and care
fully-and not as men must on election
day. in five minutes or less-do you judge
he will vote with stupidity or thought
lessness? He will not 1t will be the
better for the time and consideration he
can give it. Then many thousands who
live here at the capital could vote il
absent voters laws were enacted in all
the states"