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Show WOCRATIC HEAD 'mm ' FOB FOIL VOTE TiS YEAR Election Offers Opportunity to Register Views on Many Important Issues. ALL SHOULD PARTICIPATE Deplores Fact Only Half of Electorate Usually Goes to Polls No Excuse for Absentees. (This Is ths first of a series of statements on campaign Issues by the chairman of the Democratic Na tional Committee.) " By John J. Raakob Notaius Is mors important to the future of America than that our citizens citi-zens manifest thetr own Interest in Us future by totine. Ws must deplore de-plore the act that in the last presidential presi-dential election, ot fifty-four million qualified roters, only s,bout fifty per cent cast their rotes. This year, It is anticipated that there will be fifty-six fifty-six million qualified voters In the country, and I hope and urge tUat the treat proportion of these will take adTantage of the Voting Right. It is a sad commentary on our democracy democ-racy that Germany, with only half ot our population, saw two million more Tnt c.R5t at Its election for presi dent than the United States in 1924. We are generally behind other countries coun-tries in the voting record, although Is foreiga countries the Toting franchise fran-chise has been a comparatively recent re-cent exercise of sovereignty by the eltlaens. It Is commendable that both parties this year are making ePHsl endeavors to have enrolled a , vt j laii:.- ti.: If an administration is to function well and to decide wisely on Important issues, It should be governed by public opinion. We certainly do not get the public opin-loa opin-loa of the United States when only fifty per cent of the Qualified voters appear at the polls. The time to record either satisfaction or disapproval disap-proval of officials is on Election Day. Grumbling about our public servants on other days of the year is largely a waste of time. Minority Government We do not want to see here a government gov-ernment of all the people by fifty per cent of the people. We hare been having a government by only a ma Jority within the fifty per cent, which is far less than the actual majority of the qualified voters. This cosalna election will afford the people aa opportunity to register their views in no uncertain way on ksim fnnHamnntal issues. Neither ot the candidates, If elected, would feel primed for acting as Chief Executive Exec-utive it only a portion of fifty per nut of the voters is responsible for his certificate of election. la 1024 Mr. Coolldge received fifteen fif-teen million, sevea hundred and twenty-five thousand and sixteen votes. Mr. Davis received eight million, three hundred and eighty-six thousand, six hundred and twenty-four twenty-four votes. Mr. La Toilette received four million, eight hundred and thirty thousand and four hundred and seventy-eight votes. And there were scattered one hundred and fifty-seven thousand votes. The total vote was only twenty-nine million, ninety-nine thousand, one hundred and thirty-one. There were qualified to vote in 1924 fifty-four million, one hundred twenty-eight thousand, eight hundred and ninety -five. So that Mr. Coolldge, Cool-ldge, who was elected President, only received a little more than one-fourth ot the qualified votes of the country. Research into this neglect of voting by the people of the United States ; has led our legislative bodies Into taking action iu order to develop a greater vow. The principal measures in this line have been the various laws made by the states for "absentee "absen-tee voting." Forty-five of the forty-eight forty-eight states have made provisions so that absentees from these states may cast their ballots. For every one hundred voles cast for President In 1920, there werr niuetj'-six who could vote but did not. This is no way to elect a President of the United States, who, under our Constitutiou, Is given more power than any cue human being in the world. Remember, tuis campaign i the most stirring in the history ot American politics. There is no American Amer-ican who does not want 'to take part In it. In many instances heretofore the race has been very close. Under our Electoral College system ot selecting a president, one state may decide the result. In that state, a few votes either way may determine the entire election. One man's vote is as good as another man's vote. Ths quality known as Americanism Is demonstrated to a mathematical certainty at the polls. Your vote is I valuable. Do not throw it away. It a debtor owed you money, and you were away on the due date, you would make arrangements for him . . ;f wr.ni. mnn nil trt Villi wllT. IU UauailllL juui ...... .v... - " ever you might be. You can make a similar arrangement In regard to the vote. Absentee Voting Simple Voting under the absentee voting laws is made simple and requires but little effort. Let your government hear from you no matter where you are on Election Day. The candidates will struggle incessantly inces-santly in making an appeal for your vote. They are at least entitled to expect you to exercise your franchise. fran-chise. Strong men are running. Great issues fill the air. It will be up to you to pass judgment and you cannot do it if you fail to register. The American vote has a background of bloody sacrifice by the Great Americans of all our Wars. If you choose to be voteless, they have sacrificed, sac-rificed, to that extent, In vain. After a terrific struggle, the franchise fran-chise was granted to the women of America. In the 1S20 election it ll estimated that the women cast thirty-seven per cent of the total vote; and forty-three per cent of the women qualified to vote actually votad. In only a few of the states did the women wom-en cast fifty per cent or more ol their voting strength. The issues presented at the coming com-ing election will be of Intense inter est to ths women of the land. The co3t of living, employment, freedom of conscience, religious liberty and equal opportunity should attract a great majority of the women to register regis-ter and to vote. Casts Portion of Vote Every man and woman who votes and does not encourage the other members of their families to do likewise like-wise only casts a portion of a vote. Working women have a vast Interest Inter-est at stake in the election. Governor Gover-nor Smith stands as the champion of human rights and welfare of the working women. Of no other accomplishment accom-plishment is he prouder than of the success attending his efforts in the State of New York to better the conditions con-ditions of women in Industry. As President, he would have a tremendous tremen-dous influence on national legislation towards the same end. I trust the women will appreciate his services in this respect by their registration and vote. REMEMBER, YOU CANNOT VOTE IF YOU DO NOT REGISTER. |