New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-14

residence in the 234 constituencies into
which the Dominion is divided for cleo
toral purposes.
To this the Opposition offered no
serious objection, but there was
vital difference of opinion over the
proposal requiring the soldiers to mark
their ballots for Government" or "Op-
position Manifestly, however. there
could he no intelligent voting for in
dividual candidates and the view OF the
government prevailed. In Canada
there is simultaneous polling in every
constituency, but period Of twenty
eight days will be set apart for voting
in the camps in England and in the
trenches. IL is believed that this will
give opportunity for the great ajorlty
OF the troops to cast their ballots,
even though individual regiments may
actually be engaged in battle when
polling begins.
Inevitably y period OF uncertainty
will follow the election. Until the
votes OF the. soldiers are counted the
result in many electoral divisions will
be in doubt. IL is assumed that the
troops will pol heavily for the gov
crnment, for the single reason that
they favor CONSUMPTION, to which the
Opposition. under Sir Wilfrid Lsurier,
is opposed. In the Presidential con
test of 1864 the soldiers in the field
generally gave decisive maiorities for
Lincoln. and apparently there were no
grave Irregularities. But voting in
France will be surrounded by far
greater difficulties than had to be over
come in polling the Northern armies
fifty years ago.
Not only will the soldiers be en-
franchised for the impending general
election in Canada, but certain for
eign" elements will be disfranchised.
The colonies OF Doukhobors and Men
nonites in the Western provinces. who
object TO military service, Will not be
registered There will also be dis
franchisemcnt Of aliens born in enemy
countries unless they have lived for
more than fifteen years in Canada. Un-
questionably the proposal to disfran-
chise enemy aliens will be sternly re-
sisted by the Opposition, and free use
Of the cloture may be necessary TO
insure its adoption. In recent provin-
cial elections in Western provinces
the elements affected BY this proposal
generally supported Liberal candidates.
and il is Uncomfortable that they would
favor CONSUMPTION. Thus in proportion
ne there is Acknowledgement OF these
people the Opposition will be weak
ened. No doubt there is also danger
that the electoral machinery will be
abused in order TO eliminate Austrian
and German voters who may be sus-
pected by the agents Of the govern
ment.
Women to Have Votes
Besides enfranchising soldiers and
DISTINGUISHING aliens it is also pro-
posed 10 give votes TO the wives, moth
ers. sisters and widows OF men IN uni
form, So. too. nurses and other wo-
men engaged in military service over
sea will get the franchise. BY these
provisions the voting power OF the
soldiers will be practically doubled,
while the political influence Of COM
munities which have provided few re-
cruits for the army will be materially
reduced. Between 100000 and SOO,O00
women will get the franchise. .,
II is intended that these exceptional
provisions shall have effect only dur
inc the war. Thus It will be necessary
to have federal voting lists instead OF
the State or Provincial lists which
hitherto have been accepted. Since the
general election Of 1911 woman SUI
frage has been adopted in British Co
lumbis. Alberta, Saskatchewan, Mani
toba and Ontario.
II federal lists are now prepared II
is doubtful if women will be allowed
IN register even in those provinces
which have established equal suffrage
unless they are near relatives OF SOL
diers. This suggests further reduction
of the voting power of the foreign
groups and increase in the politcai
strength of the English-speaking ele-
ment.
Big Foreign" Vote
The significance of this will be I'M
derstood when the composition OF the
army 10 considered. Of the 100000
men who have enlisted in Canada at
least 100000 are English-speaking. In
the last general election, in which com.
mercial reciprocity with the Unlted
States was the chief issue and winch
was AS keenly contested as any cleo,
ton since Confederation. l,So1,528
votes were polled. Twenty-eight per
cent. of the vote was French, seven per
cent. German and Austrian. and be-
tween ten and eleven per CENT. was
divided among other foreign eIe-
ments.
So far as can be ascertained
7o6. O65. or "a per cent of the votes cast
in l9l1 were OF English-speaking peo-
pie. Thus with nearly one-half the
English-speaking voters of Canada on
service oversee it is not difficult to
prophesy the fate OF government at
tempting to enforce CONSUMPTION if the
soldiers could not cast their ballots.
For unquestionably Quebec is against
CONSUMPTION, and decisive majority OF
other non-English elements will not
support the candidates of conscrip-
ZIONIST government.