Omaha daily bee., 1916-11-06

the security Of society is the greatest
stake.
, Never was there time in our his
!. tory when the ballot was more i'm
portant, more valuable for all the aims
OF society. There were never so many
officers to administer so many laws.
The choice of government officers at
the polls, who have to appoint other
officers and agents OF the government,
having to deal with problems of trans
portation and with everything that af-
fects the live-and-let-live principle OF
our institutions imposes a graver re-
sponsibility than ever and exacts a
duty which demands conscientious
discharge. The recreancy Of the rep
resentative who shirks his duty in
legislative halls is no worse than the
indifference of the stay-at-home-voter,
whom nothing can move but compen-
sation in money or personal favor.
How to Make Them Vote.
Some there are who discern compul-
sorry voting on the way to remedy
the evil. Governor David B. Hill, over
twenty years ago in message to the
New York legislature advocating COM
pulsory voting, quoted an ordinance
passed at Southampton, on Long
Island, in 1913, which declared that
citizens must" vote one way or an
other and not be neuter." The pub
lie acts of colonial Virginia for 170s
includes this clause:
Every freeholder actually resident
in each county shall appear and vote
at such election or forfeit zoo pounds
of tobacco, ETC."
Various punitive remedies have
been suggested at different times,
such as fines to be paid before the
voter can again cast a ballot, with dis
franchisement to follow persistent alb
sention from voting. The interesting
suggestion has been made of person
al tax which shall be RENTED In part
when the voter produces certificate
in proper form to show that he has
voted. Advocates of compulsory vot-
ing advance earnest arguments to i'm
pei the citizen to do his duty. Public
business Is the voters business. Com
pulsory voting is In the interest Of
public economy. II would greatly re-
duce the expenses Of campaigns and
elections. Governor Hill pointed that
out to the New York legislature In
1890. In many OF the rural communi-
ties hundreds of voters habitually
have remained away from the polls
until induced to 60 there for money,
which ostensibly they expect to get to
compensate them for time lost from
their occupations, Many Of these same
people would walk to town on foot to
see circus or other show who could
be got to the polls, like as not, save
in an automobile, and paid for Il, too,
in money.
The step to taking bribe from this
condition is as easy as alighting from
the vehicle that hauls the voter. The
great need is held by the advocates of
compulsory voting to get intelligence
and educative influence to the polls.
The ignorant and vicious, they claim,
least need incentive, for II Is at the
polls they reach the acme of their
personal importance. What evidence
is there of popular value of suffrage
save in the number Of votes cast. It Is
numbers, after all, that make the quail
ity in elections. The most ignorant
voters ballot Is worth just as much as
that OF the best and wisest. There is
no judging of the measure of esteem
for the ballot except in the proportion
i is used by the body Of citizens en-
titled to use It.
Outlook Not Encouraging.
Will there be a greater manifesto
ton Of interest this year than usual,
q larger participation in suffrage.
There are abundant reasons why there
should be, but there arc, on the other
hand, causes that are contrary. The
trend Of the body politics expedience
is not to that effect. It is campaign,
too, that is unprecedented. in various
ways, The issues are so numerous
as to bewilder the ordinary mind. II
Is year in which example in high
position have avoided controversy for
me sake of maintaining neutrality.
Like as not, many voter will abstain
from partisan ballot for the same
reason. Most probably large, num-
Der OF voters will stay away from the
polls because they feel they can be
better and more agreeably occupied
attending to their own personal af-
airs rather than the business of the
public. With that sort OF thing more
md more reducing the popular vote.
he time approaches when this NAV
become a government OF few OF the
people by few of the people for
few of the people. And the rest Of
he people will be badly fooled.
On the whole, there is no indication
hat points to an increase In the
presidential vote this year. The reg
stration figures do not indicate Il.
lack of animation and a too widely
PREVALENT apathy and Discrimination to
isk Judgment on uncertain APPEAR
noes seem to indicate that the per-
entage OF the vote to the population
i the United States will Be smaller
han ever.
4 r.