The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1924-05-02
COOLIDGE URGES D. A. R
MAkE Use OF BALLOT
Has No Fear of Result When All
Citizens Accept Political
Obligations
SAFEGUARD INSTITUTIONS
Government Must Not Be En-
trusted to Minority; Interest
of Women Essential

OF w OTIleTl ESSClllldl
President Coolidge on April IS adj
dressed the congress OF the Daughters
of the American Revolution He
caused a smile to pass over the audi
encc when he addressed them as the
daughters of all the revolutions He
gave them the title, however, in all
seriousness, not as a tribute TO the
various internal struggles OF their or
jder, but to the larger social and po-
Nitical revolutions which had evolved
THE present status Of women with full
privileges and responsibilities OF cit
izenship. His address i'll part follows
Every voter ought not merely to
vote, but to vote under the inspiration
OF high purpose 10 serve the nation.
1t has been calculated that i'll most
elections only about half OF those ell
titled to vote actually exercise their
franchise What is worse, a consider
able part of those who neglect to vote.
do it because of a curious assumption
OF superiority to this elementary duty
OF the citizen. They presume to be
rather too good, too exclusive, to soil
their hands with the work of politics.
Such an attitude cannot too vigorously
be condemned.
Popular government is facing one
OF the difficult phases of the perpetual
trial to which it always has been and
always will be subjected. 1t needs the
support of every element OF patriot
ism, intelligence and capacity that can
De summoned.
| suppose that even among the
Daughters OF the American Revolt
ton there are some women who sin
cerely feel that it is unbecoming OF
their sex to take an active part in pol
itics. 1t is a little difficult to compre-
bend how such an attitude could be
maintained by any woman eligible to
such society as this, and sufficiently
interested in the society to participate
il its work. Nevertheless, there are
such, and to them | want especially
to direct an appeal for different att-
t.dc toward the obligations OF the
voter. ! am much less concerned Tor
what party, what policies and what
candidates you vote, than that you
shall vote, and that your vote shall
represent conviction. When an Ell
lightencd electorate acts, | have no
fear OF the result
/. Popular Government Assured
+, Here in America we are living under
a form Of democratic-republican in
stitutions which profoundly believe
to be the best that has yet been thor
oughly tested. | say this because our
system has gone so far in carefully
separating the different departments
OF the Government. In the
carly development of popular institu-
tions the legislative and executive au-
thorities were divided. . But not
until the founders Of our Republic had
made a further distribution and dif-
fcrentation of functions, was popular
government assured the opportunity
70 prove its case.
When the judicial function was set
apars and made the third independent
but co-ordinating factor i'll the form
of Government, the scheme of a per
fected Observation-Disclosures was
for the first time presented to the
world. That was the great contribu-
4 On made by the founding fathers in
olir Constitution. By virtue OF it, the
beople were at last assured equality
against the tyranny OF any despotic
executive and the tyranny OF any
&espotic legislature. Neither of them,
both of them, together, might
reafter impose 4 lawless will upon
lienseless people.
the preservation, the guardian
s. and the gradual perfection OF
L system, the American people may
well be summoned. From its earliest
establishment our Government has
been an example to other peoples,
wherever they might be, seeking the
way OF enlightened freedom. 1t
is for us so to direct the processes OF
our public life that our institutions
shall continue worthy of the admira-