Evening journal., 1921-03-09

printed paper that you dropped into
he bsllot-box last November may
have seemed to you TO be most In
significant, and yet Il has a moral
and national value beyond all esti-
nation. Just think what ballot isi
A piooo OF paperf Nay, a ballot IN
az sacred AZ a leaf torn from the
Bible. Think what Il oosti Think
OF the men who died that wa may
take Il between our fnEorsl Think
OF what can be accomplished by
that piece OF papcrl Health can be
safoguardod, crlmo can bo reduced,
the weak and tho poor can be pro-
tectod, justice can bo established
and Righteousness made possible.
What n tho baliot7 II IL sword
with which great evils can DO hacked
TO pieces Il IL a batterinR-rhm for
beating down established wrong. II
" a cRnnon-bRli by which oppres-
sion can be ground TO powder. It IL
nerve IN the great hand OF the
people by whose pressure and guild
anco institutions are moulded and
dostinies arc hxed. IL IN
"A weapon stronger yet
And better than the bayonet,
A weapon that comes down as stili
As snownakes fall upon the sod.
And executes a frecman's will.
As lightning does the will Of God"
Intelligent Use OF the Ballot
Tho spectacle at Washington last
Friday should impress U.S. also. with /
the necessity OF an intelligent use OF /
/ the ballot Ignorance II the great /
est foe free institutions need fear /
other things being equal IN proper |
tion as a man Is intelligent. he is
| qualified to use the ballot. For ten. |
/ twenty, thirty years you have been /
studying American institutions /
through the various channels Of IN |
formation. You have become ac-
quainted with the needs OF our
country. You know all that has
been said on both sides Of the tariff
question, the labor question, the
educational question, the sectional
question, and you have made up
your mind, and on election day you
go 70 deposit your intelligent vote.
see you coming down or your
front door steps say. Good
morning hope you are well to-
day. Where are you going?" You
say, Il am going 10 vote" You take
your position in the line OF electors
you wait your turn, you come up, the
judge Of election announces your
name, your ballot is deposited, you
pass out Well done. But right
} behind you comes a man who cannot
spell president" or controller" or
attorney" He cannot write his own
name. He cannot tell you on which
side the Allegheny Mountains Ohio
IS. He puts in his vote for the oppo-
site candidate, and he cancels your
vote. His ignorance weighs as much
as your intelligence. That Is not
right: everybody says that Is not
right. How shall the evil be cor
rected7 BY laws OF compulsory
education well executed. Until a
man can read the Declaration OF
Independence and the Constitution
J OF the United States and the first
I chapter OF Genesis and write a pc
E tition for citizenship with his own
= hand. and calculate. how much is
d the interest OF the United States
y debt. and tell the difference between
e a republic, a limited monarchy. and
I a despotism. he is not fit TO vote
at any polls between Key West and
Alaska. Time was when there
s may have been an excuse for ig-
e norance; but not now and in this
day when the common school makes
J.. knowledge as free as the fresh air
I OF heaven. In these days when ma
tional problems Of tremendous i'm
a portance are demanding solution,
i that spectacle at Washington last
Friday, when enormous power was
< entrusted for four years into the
hands Of one man. should impress
o upon us the grave necessity Of an
e intelligent use OF the ballot
i keeping the Ballot Pure.
IL The inauguration should impress
= us also with the necessity of keep
a ing the ballot pure. No crime in
q a free country is more heinous than
: crimes against the purity OF the bal
II lot. The law needs a keener twisi
II for the necks of repeaters. They
= must have something more thar
fines and short Imprisonment. They
IT are attempting the assassination o.
II the Republic In olden times wheI
A. men with unholy hands touched tn
III ark OF the covenant, they dropped
he dead. And when men through spur
he ious voting laying unholy hands oi
D. the ballot-box. the sacred ark Of tn
b. American covenant, they deserve ex
" termination.
r The law must allow no shadow o
al intimidation 20 fan upon the ballot
RI box. I am not surprised az tn
u vehemence Of Lord Chief Justic
te Holt, OF England. when he said: lie
the people vote fairly. Interference
In with a mans vote is in behalf @
RS this or the other party. II sue
he cases come before me 70 be trieS
he 1 shall charge the jury 10 make IN
he offender to pay well for it." Their
fe must be no intimidation. Just a
he soon as in any precinct OF the Unite
re States a man cannot vote as
re pleases, there is something wroni
gh AS we value our free institution
'e- land what American does not valu
Die them as his life.) let us strive
on keep the ballot pure. The sacre
raj destinies OF our beloved country d'
Se. pend upon our faithfulness in tn
on respect. The ballot is not FOO
Ia stool but a throne-not somethir
lc- to- put your foot on. but somethir
TO bow before
,re The event which took place la
nd Friday in our Capital city is Of In
he mense importance TO every Americ'
be- citizen and indeed to the citizensh
I'VE Of the whole world. Having be-
cit chosen by the free suffrage Of q
he people let us give the new Preside
oil our prayers and our support Nj
-ou he hold his high Office in solen