The Republican., 1925-12-10
THE DECLINING VOTE
AND RELATED MATTERS
BY Finley c. HendricksOn.

about 81 per cent of the American
electorate voted, despite the fact that
polling booths were far apart. there
were few good roads and there was
no opportunity to vote by mail as
some States now permit. In 1923
about 90 per cent Of the electorate
voted, and even this low percentage
was secured only through the Coop
Grafton of many patriotic organiza-
tions working to get the voters to
the polls.
This declining vote is just ground
for political apprehension, but if the
reason for the decline can be prop
erly analyzed it will aid more to the
correction than simply urging an un-
willing electorate to the polls.
Party Alignment Gone.
A good many factors enter into the
question. While the enlarged elec-
torate body, through the 18th and
18th amendments may have had an
opposite effect from what was antici-
pated, there is also the difficulty of
minority parties getting OF ne Off
cial ballot. The nthe non-partisan
ere through which the nation has
been passing presented no alignment
between political parties, set no bat
tie in array. 1t is trait of human
nature to demand sides" in any con-
test. Were football or baseball plav-
ed with 10 more alignment than the
political game is being played. the
bleachers would be empty, Just as the
polling booths are being vacated.
There is far greater division between
Democrats and Democrats and be-
tween Republicans and Republicans
than between the Democratic and Re
publican parties.
As a substitute for party alignment
the good man" theory was put for
ward. vote for the best man" rang
all over the country. But this policy
presents nothing better than a choppy
sea in which the Ship of State drifts
about without chart or compass. Who
IS a good" man in politics, anyhow.
a politician who holds to sound pclit-
lcal principles, but might have some
blemish in his private life. or some
political aspirant who may have a fine
personal character but who holds to
unSound principles in politics?
Again, two-party coalition, per-
missible to meet some great national
eXigency, has supplanted party align
ment. But the genius of free institu-
tons finds no field for exercise and
progress through two-party coali-
ton and can scarcely hold the ground
won.
Changes in Structure of Government.
Vast political changes have taken
place in our structure of government
not only under but because of this
party coalition, but the electrate had
no choice. Which political party wrote
the 10th, 18th, Sth and 10Th Amend
ments in the Constitution, the four
Amendments which have changed the
whole character Of our constitutional
experiment? Neither party acting
separately did this, but both dominant
parties did it under coalition. Which
political party set up the vast bure-
aucratic government, State and Fed
eral, blurring the former clear pow
ers between the Legislative, the exec
utive and judicial branches? Neither
party separately. AS to these funda-
mental changes, the American electo-
rate had little more chance for ex-
preston, protest or approval, than the
disqualified negroes of the Southern
States.
Who can estimate the injury done
to our whole political experiment
when a two-party coalition virtually
deprives the American electorate of a
chance to express political convictions
clearly at the ballot box? The exer-
else of great power without the abil-
ity to fix responsibility is always just
ground for apprehension. This two
party coalition has been much like
two attorneys, employed on opposite
sides, turning from the interest of
their clients and agreeing to work
for some ulterior end to secure some
thing for which they were not en-
ployed
Direct Action Detour Around Ballot.
AS if all this were not enough to
politically mystify the situation, there
has been introduced of late years in
American politics a procedure which
might be described as making detours
around the ballot box, the securing Of
amendments to the Constitution and
the passage of laws by petitions, res
olutions, night letters, lobbies, etc.
The American electorate has been
taught, and that in quarters other
wise respectable, that the quickest
way to secure political results was to
resort to these methods of direct ac-
tion rather than cling to the process
OF the parliamentary and representa-
tive II caoO,od aoU;oc 10 I,,r;,, o.-a..,;