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COMPULSORY VOTINGState's Leading Daily Argues Ably Against ItThe Florida Times-Union of the 7th copied what The Herald said in favor of compulsory voting and commented thereon as follows:“There is no more thoughtful man in Florida than the editor of the Punta Gorda Herald, and yet a iiian who has a habit of thinking sometimes speaks without thinking of everything worth consideration in connection with the subject he discusses. We suggest a few things for Col. Jordan’s consideration that may or may not have occurred to him.“In 1872 Florida with a population of 200,000 cast between thirty- three and thirty-four thousand votes—one in six of the population, and in 1876 cast nearly 49,000 out of n population of about 225,000—more than one in five. In 1912 the state cast a vote of 50,000 out of a population of 800,000—one in sixteen, and in 1916 a vote of 80,000 out of a population of about 960,000—about one in twelve. Does Col. Jordan think the political condition of the state was better in 1872 and 1876 than in 1912 and 1916?“The last federal census showed that the negro population outnumbered the white in the following counties: Alachua, Citrus,Gadsden, Hernando, Jefferson, Leon, Madison, Marion, Nassau, Putnam, and supposing that halt of the foreign born population had not been naturalized and could not vote the negroes would also be in the majority in DuvalIf voting were compulsory the negro vote assisted by 900 Republicans would elect the congressman from the Second distinct. In the third district only 2,500 white Republicans would be necessary in addition fo the negro vote to elect a Republican representative.‘From our viewpoint Republican control of the country would be pretty bad, but Republican control of Florida vastly worse. With compulsory voting a slight division of the whites would put. the negroes in control of the Btnte, and without any division at all they would he in control of a number of the most prosperous and progressive counties—this or the negroes would be kept from the polls by intimidation or else counted out by fraud.“Since we have tried so hard in Florida to get rid of the negro vote and since the negroes have practically stopped voting it would be strange to pass a law to compel them to vote. And bad as conditions are they would hr worse if controlled even by the white men who don’t take enough interest in the affairs of the state to go to the polls to vote.”Editor Jordan of the Punta Gorda Herald proposes that voting be made compulsory and that a man who is eligible to vote and won’t qualify be punished with fine and imprisonment. The Star doesn’t favor compulsory anything, except compulsory service to the nation when it is in danger, and beside this, as Editor Jordan should know, compulsory voting would work badly in some states, if not all. But we think it would be a good idea to make it a law that a man who has qualified and doesn’t vote at two elections in succession should lose his right to vote. About half the troubles of this country are due to the fact that, a large proportion of the best men in it will stay away from the polls on election day for almost anv trivial reason.—OcalaSowllafth.peroloredtrtthimecairaiedthiofjoin rChbu:amsmtheJoiLeiciatormisietotheweprtwoofly.tordei(c»radlt; Ad yill ic t the pul on Tlt; the tro; edi tha Tthe eon fn/v Hr boa of ' met ten ren Lee The ing Lee horr snm ciat Ti mid the or 1 the shoi mac latii all (
Newspaper Details
Punta Gorda Herald
Punta Gorda, Florida, US
Thu, Jan 16, 1919
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 31 Jul 2023
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Punta Gorda Herald
