Article May 23, 1903 Issue

The Public Welfare

ED.

Gov. JOHN HUNN of Delaware was recently visited by a delegation which included a representative minister or layman of each of the religious bodies in Wilmington, with the view of securing his approval of a bill repealing the voter's assistant law. Mr. John, First Reader of First Church of Christ, Scientist, was of the number, and spoke in part as follows.—ED.

Governor Hunn:—I am glad to be here to address you knowing that your forefathers and mine, followers of Fox and Penn, have stood and do stand for all that pertains to righteousness and to moral and upright citizenship, whose purpose it is to develop character by individual growth.

I am glad to-day to represent a body of Christian people who hold dear and appreciate any and every effort which will advance the citizenship of the city or the state—a people who believe in and earnestly strive to practise both the law and the gospel. From this view-point of uprightness, I wish to touch upon what seems the paramount issue. The most earnest argument in favor of the present law is that it stands in behalf of the illiterate voters of our state. But, Governor, it is to help this class that I address you. To legislate in favor of illiteracy which is not a qualification for good citizenship or for the voter, you virtually put a premium upon illiteracy, and thereby encourage and engender the very condition you desire to assist. The surest way to make paupers is to legislate in favor of pauperism. The best way to help paupers is to educate them to a standard of manliness and self-reliance. The best way to help the illiterate is to maintain the standard of individual character, good citizenship, and equal rights. The safety and surety of government, whether city, state, or national, depends upon the individuality of the citizenship and the standards required therefor.

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