Professor Mayo-Smith says: "We are thus conferring the
privilege of citizenship, including the right to vote, without any test
of the man's fitness for it. The German vote in many localities controls
the action of political leaders on the liquor question, oftentimes in
opposition to the sentiment of the native community. The bad influence
of a purely ignorant vote is seen in the degradation of our municipal
administrations in America."[83] The foreign-born congregate in the
large cities, especially the mass of unskilled laborers. There they
easily come under control of leaders of their own race, who use them to
further selfish ends. Fraudulent naturalization is another evil result.
There is no more dangerous element in the Republic than a foreign vote,
wielded by unscrupulous partisans and grafters. The immigrant is not so
much to blame as are those who corrupt him, but if he were not here they
would have no opportunity. In order to wield a bludgeon a bully must
have the bludgeon.
[Sidenote: A Voter Should be Able to Read his Ballot]
There is an unquestioned and increasing evil and peril in a German vote,
an Irish vote, a Scandinavian vote, an Italian vote, and a Hebrew vote.
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