The Colorado statesman., 1918-10-19
MARTIN B. MADDEN
PROTECTS THE RACE
AT NATIONS CAPITAL

Washington, d. C. Oct. 11.-Speak-
ing to bill IS. 343S) having to do with
the corrupt practice act in the House
of Congress, Hon Martin B. Madden
delivered an extraordinary address to
the country, in which he summarized
numerous evils affecting citizens OF
the United States. The congressman
took the broader view and insisted
that the bill should embrace the rights
of all citizens to vote On the ques'
tions involved the congressman spoke
as follows:
"Mr. Speaker, l move to strike out
the last three words. The election OF
President, vice president, senators and
representatives in Congress is a very
important function which devolved
upon the American people and one in
which every citizen of the United
States, if he is otherwise qualified,
should have the unrestricted right to
participate. 1t is frequently said, and
| think the record would prove the
statement to be true, that many of the
citizens of the United States who are
otherwise called upon to bear the OBJ
legations of citizenship are not per-
mitted to exercise the franchise. To
day we are engaged in great war, in
which there seems to be no distinction
as to those upon whom the RESPONSE
bility of engaging in the conflict shall
fall We have not Disseminated in
any way against any citizen of Amer
ica in calling upon men who are to
fight the battles of the nation. We
have called upon all freely. We have
insisted that each man having the
rights of citizenship shall assume the
responsible burden of citizenship by
shouldering a rifle and going to the
front or doing such other war duty
as may be imposed upon him by the
law. 1t may seem important to re-
port and enact a law imposing a fine
OF $1,000 and Imprisonment for a year
on anyone who may accept or pay
bribe to induce a vote in favor of or
against some candidate for office; but
it seems to me it is still more i'm
portant that the committee having
jurisdiction of bills of this sort should
also report some bill which would give
to the citizens of the United States
who are fighting its battles the right
to vote. (Applause)
How many hundreds of thousands
of those men there who are de-
MED the right to vote in America am
unable to say, but there are hundreds
of thousands of them, and in certain
states of the Union if man happens
perchance to have a black skin he is
restricted in his right to exercise his
privileges as a citizen when it comes
to election day, but when it comes TO
fighting the battles of the nation ana
spilling a mans blood upon the nelds
of France, or elsewhere, there is no
restriction. These men are loyal citl-
zens of America - am not making
any complaint about Missouri say
that these men who are today flShe
ing for the freedom of America, Tor
the honor of it's flag, for the preserVa-
ton of its institutions, ought to nave
the same privilege to exercise thelr
political rights that every other man
has. 1 say that, and to the extent Oh
my ability l shall insist that in the
future they shall have it; and II TINS
committee on the election of President
and vice president and senators ana
representatives in Congress would de-
vote itself to the preparation and pres