Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1916-10-13
QUESTIONS THAT APPEAL TO
YOUR HARD coMMoN-SENSE.

Man or woman, Democrat OF Repub-
lican, Socialist or Prohibitionist. or
what-not. don't you want your country
TO be governed by intelligence?
Would you. in cold blood. deliberate
ly risk great issues involving life. lib
erty and happiness. upon the yenal
vote Of millions OF illiterates?
Don't you know. as a thinking, rea-
soning being. that our civilization de
ponds upon government by the intelli
gent?
Would you risk your life. the lives
and happiness OF your loved ones. your
property and your future. upon the
votes OF millions OF ignorant negroes
and foreign.born whites?
You answer NO,--of course
On November 7th hundreds or thou
sands OF illiterates will vote on the
great Issues OF this campaign which
directly involve life. liberty and hap
piness.
Is this RIGHT? No!-of course not
To multiply and vastly enlarge the
wrong. you are asked to support silly
amendment TO the Constitution ex-
tending the ballot to millions OF Hitter
ate women. nine-tenths of whom don't
know whether the capital IS located at
Washington or New Orleans, who
couldn't, TO save their lives. tell wheth-
er Woodrow Wilson or Theodore
Roosevelt is president of the United
States.
The most awful wrong ever perpet-
rated upon a proud and free people
was the amendment extending the bal.
lot to the illiterate negro men. This
crime against civilization was perpet-
rated in open-eyed hatred, just after
the sectional war of the States.
Fanatics Of both sexes. with q con.
siderable following, are now striving
TO repeat the crime, to put back pro.
gress fifty more years. by adding an
enormous illiterate vote, TO be pur-
chased and handled by yillainous poll.
ticians.
This Is a reference direct to the
Susan b. Anthony suffrage amend
ment.
There are millions OF illiterates In
this country. Forty.four per cent of
the negroes cannot read or write. The
number is gradually decreasing, owing
to the supeThuman efforts OF the best
people OF the Southern States, who
every year expend millions for the edu
cation OF the negroes. And today. as
for fifty years, they are fighting IA
naticism at every step. striving Il
maintain their superior civilization by
applying an educational test TO ever
ballot. Despite the tremendous eff
forts of the Southern people, and al
the treasure that they expend, more
than one-third OF the negroes are Tilt
crate. BUT THEY HAVE THE
RIGHT TO VOTE.
In the North. East and West, the
number OF llliter8te foreign. born
whites Is steadily increasing. Their,
are millions OF them who don't know
whether the capital IL at Winnipeg Of
Washington. They have no more con
ception Of our political system an,
free institutions than has a pig OF tn,
aurora borealis. nor have they NOR,
need OF the ballot than q pig of pis
tol.pocket. BUT THEY VOTE.
The percentage OF illiteracy amonI
native whites of foreign or mixed par
entage Ia very small. thanks TO racla
pride and the public school
Here are some. census percentages
Of illiteracy in various States:
Louisiana, South Carolina, Arizona
New Mexico. Mississippi, Alabama
Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia
rs per cent; Arkansas, Tennessee
Kentucky and Florida, Is per cent;
Nevada, Texas, Pennsylvania, wesl
Virginia, New York, Massachusetts
Connecticut, Rhode Island. 10 per cent
uIess than one per cent native white
in Nevada is Illlterate).
The other States are from s to 10
per cent iliiterate.
The salvation Of the country de.
Ponds upon the restriction Of suffrage
TO the intelligent, TO those who can AT
least read and write. No person OF
either sex, who cannot read and write
underatandinsly the English language.
should be permitted to vote. This
ought 20 be enacted as Constitutional
amendment. Il would be supported
by vast majority OF the people.
Admitting these facts, as everyone
must, what think we OF the fanatics
who are striving 10 add millions OF
Illterate and venal votes? Common.
sense and patriotism demand the re.