The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-09-21
WOULD TAX THEM
System of Penalties starr
at-HOmes Is Proposed.
Senator Green Would Levy Tax
OF SO on Each Voter.

Senator H. 2. Green of the Chau-
tauqua-Elk county district, proposes a
system of penalties for the men and
women who fail to vote in the general
. election and primaries. Under the pro-
gram proposed by Senator Green the
elector who doesn't go to the polls will
Ire ASSESSED So for exercising the stay
at-home privilege. If a voter fails to
Participate in both the primary and
general election it would cost SIC.
alt is Senator Green's plan to aid in
ma king the state wide primary more
popular as well as to add to the sue
cess of its operation. He believes if
everyone voted there would be high
degree of intelligence shown in selec-
ton of candidate and that use of the
constitutional privilege Of voting
should be made compulsory.
To Assess Voters $40 Each.
EAdoption of tho Green plan would
mean that every voter would be as
sesseds $40 as a voters tax It would
lie levied in the same manner that poll
tax is now assessed. If a person went
TO the, polls on -imary day, a receipt
would be given by the clerk at the
polling place. This receipt would wipe
out IS of the $40 obligation. If the
voter went to TIE election booth in the
general election another receipt would
be received. 1t would also be good
for So and would wine out the re-
L
sion would be made, of course, for
sickness under care of a physician or
necessary absence from the state.
IT is pointed out by Senator Green
that in most of the state primary con-
tests the nominee usually receives a
minority vote This situation has
been true in respect to the governor
ship as well as other impor.>nt state
Offices. In some states candidates
who fail to receive majority pri-
mary vote are compelled to contest
IN state convention Senator Green,
tho, would remedy the matter thru
adoption of voters tax.
Would Produce Big Revenue.
1T is estimated that if the Green
p1an were in operation it would pro-
duce FROM $1,500,0 900 to $4,000, 900 ad-
Citional revenue each primary day.. OF
nearly 100000 qualified voters in
Kansas, the average primary vote is
usually in the ncighborhood of 200,-
600. In other words. 60 per cent of
the voters stay at home. The recent
state primaries established a record
when Republicans and Democrats
Iiolled 257,559 votes.
Tom Botkin, former secretary of
state, estimated in 1915 that every
primary vote cost an average of So
That meant an average expense of
about 100000 for holding the state
primaries, 1t isn't likely that the eX-
pense has been materially reduced in
view of increased costs of the last
seven years.
To Tax Stay-at-HOmcS.
EThe Green. system, tho. would pro-
duce a revenue rather than add to
the expense burden. He would put
the tax on the shoulders of the stay
at-homes, 1t is his idea that the per-
son most likely to cast a really intel
ligent vote is the person who doesn't
go TO the polls. In other words he
believes the decision as to party nomi-
nees is left largely in the hands of
professional politicians and persons
with evil motives or selfish ambitions.
1T wouldn't make so much differ
encc," said Senator Green in COM
menting on the absent voter trouble,
II it were not that a great many of
our best citizens are the ones who
neglect to vote. In fact, a ma jority
of those who do not vote are from the
ranks of our most substantial citizens.
Business and professional men of high
standing and many farmers-espe cial-
" during their busy seasons-are so
engrOssed in private affairs that they
simply do not take the time to vote.
They do not seem to realize that when
they take this attitude they are max
ing themselves a party to whatever
evils we have in our government.
II believe a tax of SO that could
be RENTED would make thousands of
farmers and bnAiness men who now
stay at, home go to the polls and vote
both on primary and general election
day"
The tax bill will be introduced by
Senator Green next winter.