Evening star., 1924-04-15
ACTIVE PART in POLITICAL LIFE
URGED UPON ID. 4. r. BY COOLIDGE
america Must Preue Popular Suffrage Is Success, He
Tells Women-Laments Fact Only Half of Citizen
ship Voted in Last National Election.

| fiuence from that day to this. Shortly
after, France experienced It's effect in
that revolution which so completely de-
stroyed the foundation of the old
regime that it was never again firmly
and fully re-esta ablished. Not long after
this was followed by the British reform
bill of 1882. The wide and rapid strides
which have marked the progress of this
principle through all intervening history
are too well known and apparent to
need statement or comment. The right
of the people to rule has become more
and more broadly extended, more and
more widely recognized. In its latest
extension it has included the enfran-
chsement of women.
"All of this has been the result of
the spirit of the times 1t has been
accompanied by one of the most ter
rible commissions that the human race
has ever experienced. The face of the
earth has been changed. The institu-
tions of popular government everywhere
have been put to a supreme test. In
1t all there is a challenge, to those who
believe that self government is strong
enough to prevent disorder, wise enough
to provide freedom, righteous enough
to establish justice and humane enough
to show mercy.
Must Prove Our Faith.
1T is a challenge that we cannot
ignore. We must meet it and answer
II, and by our readiness to make sacri-
ficeS demonstrate our faith. Ii is not
enough to be Daughters of the Ameri-
can Revolution. 1t will not do merely
to rely on the Constitution and the laws
of the land.
institutions. whether adopted long
ago or of more recent origin, are of
themselves entirely insufficient. All of
these are of no avail without the con-
stant support of an enlightened public
conscience. But still more is needed
lice oil
ever present vigilant and determined ac-
ton of the people themselves. The
heroic thought and action of the revo-
luton must forever be supplemented by
the heroic thought and action of today.
Along with the great expansion of
free institutions, which has carried
them to all parts of the world in a
startlingly brief historic period, there
has gone Il broadening of the prin-
ciple of lf-government. The ballot
In the earlier forms of democracy
was the privileged possession of a
limited class. 1t was not looked upon
as n right, but rather as the reward
of some kind of high achievement,
perhaps material, perhaps intellec-
tual. But lately we have come upon
times in which the vote is esteemed,
not as a privilege or special en-
dowment bestowed only for cause
| shown. but more in the nature of an
inherent right withheld only for
makes it no longer a privilege. no
longer even a right which may be ex-
ercised or omitted as it's possessor
| shall prefer. 1t becomes an obliga-
| tion of citizenship, to be exercised
| with the highest measure OF intelli-
! gence, thoughtfulness and considera-
! tion for the public concern The
| fundamental question of keeping
| America truly American is whether
| the obligation of citizenship is fully
observed.
Voting Is Neglected.
Every voter ought not merely to
vote, but to vote under the inspira-
tion of a high purpose to serve the
nation. 1t has been calculated that
in most elections only about half Of
| those entitled to vote actually exer-
| a considerable part Of those who neg
assumption of superiority to this ele-
| mentary 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 pa
! triotism, intelligence and capacity
| that can be summoned.
81 suppose that even among the
! Daughters of the American RevoIu-
| tion there are some women who sin
! cerely feel that it is unbecoming OF
| their sex to take an active part in