The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-05-26
WHO CONTROLS ELECTIONS
People of Low Mentality Is Claim
Made by DR., w, j, Mayo

Made by DR.. w. ]. Mayo
Rochester, May 25.-The people
of low mentality, the "dregs at the
bottom" practically control the
elections in this country, was the
startling statement made by DR.. w.
J. Mayo, in his address Healthy
Business" at the banquet served
for the members of the Minnesota
Retail Dry Goods association at The
Kahler The conditions in OlmsIed
county, even with its more than 80
Iants, is about the same as in other
communities, the speaker said.
These and other statements made
the address startlingly interesting
to the auditors.
DR.. Mayo said in part:
The business men are the ones
we depend on. Healthy business in
situations come from a healthy gov
eminent and healthy govern
eminent depends on healthy pub
lie opinion properly expressed 1t is
tn popular conception that ours is
a democratic government, control
red by the pepole. This is not
strictly true. 1t has been shown
that 81 per cent of the voters con-
troll the elections.s 1t is true that
under stress of the motions you can
get a larger number OF voters to use
their privilege of voting.
DR.. Mayo told Of the work of him
self and DR.. Charles H Mayo during
the war as officers in the medical
division OF the army. He etared
that the tests of the mentality of
recruits showed some starting
things, and proceeded to relate
them.
I'm the tests carried on" he said,
1T was shown that FIVE per cent OF
the individuals were placed In Glass
A and that ten per cent were placed
in Glass B. Then came the large
class comprising IS per cent of the
total OF what we call the average
citizen. Then it dropped down to Is
or 20 per cent. which comprised the
individuals Of low mentality, or
what might be called the dregs at
the bottom.
1.-THE most intelligent people are
the ones that are the most exas-
prating to the people in the Is or
20 per cent class at the bottom. The
Is per cent at the top as class
have become so individualized that
they cannot agree on anything, not
even on religion. They never serve
on juries or fulfill other duties of a
good citizen. This Is a heavy in
dictment, but the most intelligent
people rarely vote, and they may be
termed bad citizens. The bottom
class as citizens are equally as bad.
In the class at the bottom are
found a large number of colored
people, yet these people at the bot
tom do exercise the right to vote.
We know that the people in the
bottom class do vote and do con-
troll the ballot. That is serious
proposition.
The elections are controlled by
21 per cent of the total population.
and the people in the bottom class,
approximately Is per cent of the to-
tai, come within three per cent of
controlling the elections The in
dividuals in this class are unable to |
think for themselves. The colored
vote has been largely controlled in
the south. but in the northern cities,
particularly in Chicago and Terre
Haute. we see the results OF the
colored vote.
They are the people who are
largely led by aliens and agitators.
They are appealed to through pre-
JUDGE.
yet when public opinion is
aroused and the IS per cent does its
duty, we get action such as the i'm
of a criminal after a |
swift trial as noted in today's pap
ers If we are to have such gov
eminent as we desire 1t can only be |
had through exercise of the ballot |
The business people are the ones
who can rectffy the errors
"Olmsted county has S91 per cent
or native born citizens We are an |
average highly educated community. |
Yet the conditions in Olmsted |
county are not much better than |
they are in any other community.
You business men of Roches- |
ter and from other communities
throughout the state can hope for
better things and can work to make |
our dreams come true"
i