The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1926-05-06
NEGLECT OF VOTING

Have One-ndl1 OF the american peO-
pie lost interest in politics and the
government of their country? The fig
ures show that fully one-half of the
qualified voters fail to go to the polls.
In his recent address on this subject
President Coolidge pointed out that in
the five presidential elections between
1880 and 1896 no less than 80 per cent
of the qualified voters participated,
but that in the elections of 1920 and
1924 less than so per cent voted. AS
for the Senatorial elections of 1922
sin not single case did the successful
candidate receive anywhere near a
majority of the total possible vote;"
and in some instances Senators who
were chosen by vote of 10 per cent
or less. Such a state of affairs is the
more remarkable because it is peculiar
to this country among self-governing
nations. Canada and Australia still
maintain a votin gaverage of 70 per
cent of the electorate, and even Italy
shows Ga per cent. In the British par
liamentary election of 1922 no less
than 80 per cent of the eligible voted.
Further comparative statistics show
the same. There is good reason for
the warning uttered by the President,
as follows:
eff we are to MAINTAIN the
principles that governments de-
rive their just powers from the
consent of the governed; if we
are to have any measure of self
government; if the voice of the
people is to rule; if representa-
tives are truly to reflect the pop
ular will, it is necessary that in
each election there should be a
fairly full participation by all
qualified voters. This is very
far from being the case in re-
cent years. There is a widespread
disregard by many citizens of the
privilege and duty of voting. 1t
is the only approach Of some 81
lent and unrecognized peril that
needs to give us alarm. Such a
situation will develop if the gov
eminent ceases to represent the
people because the public has be-
come inarticulate. If the people
fail to vote government will be
developed which is not their gov
eminent"
There is one tangible reason for the
great decline in the percentage of ac-
tual voters in 1920 and 1924 which i'm
mediately suggests itself. The 10Th
amendment doubled our voting popu-
lation but failed to double the number
of actual voters. The accounts then
and since have clearly indicated that
millions of women did not care to Sc
cure the voting privilege, or, having
secured it, did not care to exercise it..
This would account for large part of
the fall in the percentage. There is
reason to believe, however, that there
has been great decrease in the num-
Der of actual voters among the men.
Though this is in part due to lack of a
sense of public duty, there is reason
for the belief that it may be traced in
no small measure to waning of in
terest in politics or public matters.
One reason for this is that the evasion
of issues in which the people are keen
ly interested and on which they are
sharply divided tends to breed indif-
ference to ballot box which is sup
t posed to call for little more than the
election of ofice-holders. There are
indications of growing feeling
among the people that they are pow
erless to decide public questions, that
they can merely elect legislators who
.decide-too often under lobbying in
fuences-and such feeling inevita-
bly, breeds no small measure of apa-
thetic Indifference.