Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-08-20
G.. OF C.. TAKES UP.
AMENDMENT TO
CONSTITUTION
Question of Foreign Born
Residents Voting in Indiana
Subject of Paper.
TAKE BLOT FROM STATE

| at is Time to Wake Up" is the SUBJ
ject of a pamphlet by B. R. Inman, man
/ ager Of the Indiana State Chamber Of
/ Commerce, in which the Importance Of
! the proposed amendment to the State
constitution dealing with qualifications
/ for suffrage Is pointed out. Copies Of
/ the pamphlet are being sent to members
/ of the State chamber, Rotary Clubs
and Kiwanis Clubs, and copies viii be
sent to other organizations and indiyidu-
els on request.
/ The pamphlet follows:
ITO the Voters Of Indiana:
Are you fuu-hedged American? Do
you believe that only full-hedged Ameri-
can citizens should be entitled to vote
IN this State. Are you opposed to for
eign-born residents voting in Indiana
until they have become fully naturalized:
These questions demand immediate at
tention.
ION Tuesday, Sept 9, a special election
will be held in Indiana at which the vot
ers will be given an opportunity to vote
on thirteen proposed amendments to the
State constitution. This appeal is in be-
half Of the first amendment-the one deal
ing with Qualiica tons for suffrage. There
Is danger that this amendment will be
lost on account Of the following condt-
tons:
ABLE TO VOTE IF
HAVE FIRST PAPERS.
I'D Many Of the voters are under the
impression that this amendment merely
makes the constitution of Indiana con
form to the Federal constitution on the
question Of wOman's suffrage. 1t does
this il is true, and in this respect il Is
a mere formality. There is, however,
much greater question involved here. The
second provision Of this amendment
makes Il necessary for foreign-b born res
idents 10 be fully naturalized before they
can vote rather than TO be eligible 70
vote on the filing of their first papers
declaring their intentions to become citi-
zens) as is possible under the present
constitution This phase Of the suffrage
amendment is being overlooked by many
of the voters Of Indiana.
Indiana is one Of only four States in
the Union that does not require full
citizenship as a qualification for suffrage.
Don't you think It IS time to remove this
blot from the fair name OF our great
State?
"(2) A recent ruling OF the attorney
general Of Indiana points out certain
conditions which could easily result in
the defeat of this amendment. The at
torney general states that the amend
viii constitute the basis upon which the
fate Of the other amendments Will be
determined; and that no amendment will
be adopted. even though there should not
be a single vote registered against II,
unless such amendment should have a
majority OF the maximum votes cast
For example. Suppose there should be
100000 votes cast for and against one Of
the tax amendments, and that $50. O11
votes would be against that amendment
The amendment would, OF course. be
lost. The serious part OF the situation,
however, Is that the other amendments
would also be lost no matter how de-
sirable they might be unless 15OOO1 votes
or more were cast in their favor.
1T is well known that thousands Of
voters viii not vote either for or against
al Of the proposed amendments, because
OF the fact that they are not personally
interested in the fate Of some of them.
VOTES NEEDED
To CHANGE LAW
According to the ruling Of the at
torney general and based upon the above
figures, II 10000 votes should be cast In
favor Of the suffra &c amendment and not
a single vote should be cast in oppositioa
to ii, the amendment would nevertheless
be lost Herein lies the danger. Ii is
well known that the voters Of Indiana
will be thoroughly acquainted with the
arguments for and against the tax
amendments 1t is now evident that more
voters viii express themselves on these
amendments than on any OF the others
with the present apathy relative TO the
suffrage amendment, and with the lack
q full understanding as to that pro-
vision regarding qualifications for suf-
frage for foreign born residents, II can
readily be seen that there is danger OF
not securing a sufficient number of votes
IN favor Of this amendment TO represent
a majority Of the maximum votes cast
for the tax amendments or any others
that might command more attention from
the voters than this one
"t3) There are a number OF people in
Indiana who look upon the entire quss-
ton Of constitutional amendment as a
step toward radicalism. The faIlacv Of
such an argument is obvious The Fed
eral Constitution has been amended nine
teen times; and the constitutions Of prac-
tically all the States have been amend
ed. No matter what your position may
be upon the tax amendments ar any
Of the others, / appeal to you TO vote
for this amendment, thereby helping 10
protect the ballot box in Indiana from
exploitation by unassimllated foreigners
who bring their European prejudices with
them and who are ignorant Of the condi-
lions which have made our country what
it is
with the constant influx of great
hOrdes Of foreigners into this country
each year it is imperative that some prac-
riCq1 stem 10 taken n fa9ph Fbaro Tho e5rr