The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-08-11
REGISTER

III. reg,a, biennial registration began Monday morning
and will continue for ten days There WI be a suppe"e ma
registration prior to the city election. but every citizen VINO
wants to make certain of being qualified to vote VIII take no
chance Of losing the right by putting OFT until later wna' "a"
better be done now. a.
The rieht Of franchise is a sacred trust, notwithstanding its
abuse at times, and the disposition to set at naught the VIII OF
the people and the intrenchpent OF a machine
The recent legislature gave TO the women OF the state the
right to vote in municipal elections and the right 70 vote TOT
presidential electors,
The women of Memphis are expected to take a prominent
II not a decisive, part in the next campaign, They have said
that they want to make the world a better place m which tol
live and to rear their children, They have declared that they
will use the power Of the vote 20 establish a new conception OF
politics and to enthrone a new political ideal I
1t is necessary that they shalt register in order to PC quail
fled to vote. 1t is Of the highest importance that every man
Who feels that he wants 20 render his city . service should reg
lister in order that he may cast his ballot fr the candidates he
believes best qualified by ability and patriotic motives 70 render
faithful service to the people.
There IS an element that will not fail to register, pay poll
taxes, which must be done 80 days prior to an election, and
otherwise fortify itself for voting, 1t is an element that never
has to be persuaded or reminded even OF the approach of an
election. 1t is the element that is always found at the beck
and call of the administration in power, and which usually
grants favors in c1Change for political support.
The man who does not vote cannot lay claim to being a good
citizen when the vicious and the law vioators never fail to vote,
There are forces at work now to corral the votes of the men and
women who are ever ready to exchange their franchise for the
license that a corrupt government can extend.
There is no danger to the republic so long as there is popu-
lar government. Conditions cannot be very far wrong so long
as conditions are the product of the will OF the people.
1t is when the masses of the people lose interest in the con-
duct Of the government that its failure is in jeopardy.
The opportunity for fraud, regardless OF the WILLINGNESS If
some to permit and profit by it, is limited. The great danger is
that the honest voter will not exercise his right, rather than that
the vicious voter will exercise his too often.
There is a law against repeating. A man or woman Of the
worst type may vote once and be satisfied, if the citizen of the
better class does not vote at all. There is no law to connel y
citizen to vote, and whether he does or not is denendent
upon two things: his interest in the good name of the CITY, or
his Willingness TO serve SOME political element or faction.
The good citizen nearly always wins, 1t is rarely that a
candidate with the stigma OF a crooked politician and the stamu
Of law violators succeeds before the people. 1t will always be
true II the honest, intelligent and unrOrruptad ;t;,aoeL;D .L:L
IS largely in the majority, will perform its civic duty.