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CITIZENSHIP
A MANUAL _for_ VOTERS
BY
EMMA GUY CROMWELL
_Author of_
CROMWELL'S COMPENDIUM _of_ PARLIAMENTARY LAW
FORMERLY STATE LIBRARIAN _of_ KENTUCKY
_and_ ENROLLING CLERK _of_
HOUSE _of_ REPRESENTATIVES
SALE PRICE PER COPY, PAPER BINDING, 75c; CLOTH BINDING, $1.25
_Address_ EMMA GUY CROMWELL, _Frankfort, Ky_.
COPYRIGHT 1920
BY
EMMA GUY CROMWELL
TO
THE NEW VOTERS _of_ AMERICA
A GREAT FACTOR IN GOOD GOVERNMENT
THIS BOOKLET
IS RESPECTIVELY DEDICATED
BY
THE AUTHOR
_Introduction_
Realizing the need of a manual on citizenship for the new voters in
Kentucky, the author has endeavored to compile such information on the
government and its workings, as will be of use to all voters,
especially the ones just entering political life. A strong appeal is
made to the women voters of our nation to prepare themselves for
public life by keeping in touch with the issues of the day as well as
the functions of government. While it is a great privilege to take
part in public affairs, and study the questions of the day, so that we
can vote intelligently and criticize justly, let us not forget that
the home is the most sacred refuge of life, the nucleus around which
all pure and true civilization is formed, and that the chief end of
all good government is to improve and protect the home, the church and
the community.
Will you take part in building up your government and establishing
"High Ideals" and true democracy?
EMMA GUY CROMWELL,
Frankfort, Ky.
CHAPTER I.
CITIZENSHIP.
Good citizenship means doing well one's part as a member of the
community in which he lives, and carries with it certain privileges
and duties.
A citizen is one who has the rights and privileges of the inhabitants
of the community, state and nation, and as a duty should equip himself
so as to render the best citizenship possible.
There are two classes of citizens; native born, and naturalized.
Persons born in the United States and children born of American
parents while abroad are native born. Naturalized citizens are aliens
who through the process of naturalization have attained citizenship.
Naturalization itself does not give the right to vote, as that is
determined by the state laws. Most states give all citizens the right
to vote who have lived in the state for one year, and about eleven
states permit aliens to vote provided they declare their intention of
becoming citizens.
Congress has the power to decide the conditions upon which aliens may
become citizens.
Citizenship carries with it the enjoyment of civil rights, as the
protection of the home and property, freedom of speech, religion,
press, protection of the laws, etc. Wherever you go your citizenship
goes with you, protecting and defending you. If you are in a foreign
country you must abide by the laws of that country, but should you be
treated unjustly the United States would protect you.
Our country is a land of freedom and opportunity, and it is our duty
to help uplift the government, and as citizens we must study
conditions and know how to govern and be governed. We must be familiar
with our national and state Constitutions, for they are the
fundamental principles by which we are governed. We must know how to
make laws and how to have them executed. We must keep posted on the
issues of the day, and know something of the standing and character of
our public men and women.
The citizen who does not possess some knowledge of his government and
its workings will become a prey to the demagogue, or of individuals
who are anxious to advance their own interest at the expense of the
people.
It is the duty of every man and woman under the protection of our flag
to give his or her best to the country and be willing to take upon
themselves the burden as well as the privilege of government, and
fully appreciate the inheritance our fathers left. "They built the
foundation in the days of Washington and Jefferson, and as a duty we
must safeguard the building."
Citizenship not only embraces civil rights, but political rights which
is the right of suffrage or voting.
While civil rights are enjoyed by all men, women and children,
political rights are enjoyed only by citizens twenty-one years old and
over who possess the necessary qualifications to vote. Civil rights
and political rights are not the same, for all citizens are not
voters, neither are all voters citizens in the United States, as some
states permit aliens to vote before they get their citizenship paper,
making them real citizens.
It is our duty to study our government and be posted on the issues of
the day. There are about 27,011,330 women voters in the United States.
We have the vote and let us not only count it a privilege but a duty
to do our part as citizens in establishing good government.
There are two principal parties in the United States, the Democratic
party and the Republican party.
The way to get good government is through the parties; that is one
reason women must choose their party and enter into the organization
of the party of their choice.
Parties are just what their constituents make them.
GOVERNMENT.
The word government means management or guidance and control.
When we speak of the government of the nation, state, city, town or
county we refer to the management of public affairs.
Government protects life and property, keeps an army and navy for our
defense, peace and order, regulates commerce and industry, supports
our public schools, keeps the roads and streets in good condition,
cares for public health, and many other things we enjoy.
Our courts are maintained by the government where justice may be
found.
The laws of our nation are the rules made by the government to guide
our actions. They tell us what we are to do, and what we are not to
do. We must obey the laws of our country or else be punished. We must
study the government of our nation, state, city, town and county, and
be ready to do our part in establishing good government, by making
proper laws and seeing they are enforced. As far back as 500 B. C. we
find in Athens lawmakers, judges and executive officers.
The word government is derived from the Latin word gubernare, which
means to guide or "pilot a ship." Good government depends upon the
voters, and may our men and women of the United States pilot our ship
into a safe harbor.
The United States is both a Democracy and a Republic.
A Democracy is a government by the people in which the will of the
people prevails throughout the country. "This is the fundamental
principle of American government."
A Republic is a democracy where the people elect representatives to
carry on the government.
CONSTITUTION.
When the colonies became independent states each state drew up a
charter which recognized its people as authority in government.
Instead of calling this new instrument a charter they changed the name
and called it a "Constitution."
This Constitution is the foundation upon which our government is
built. After the thirteen original colonies had established their
independence they formed a central government known and expressed in
the Constitution of the United States which is our fundamental law.
In the preamble of the Constitution of the United States we find the
general purpose for which government is instituted:
"We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect
union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the
common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings
of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish
this Constitution for the United States of America."
The Constitution of the United States is our fundamental law and no
state constitution can conflict with our Federal Constitution.
There are now forty-eight states in the United States with forty-eight
constitutions framed upon the Federal Constitution. Each state has its
own constitution, which in no way conflicts with the Federal
Constitution.
The first Constitution of Kentucky was adopted April 3, 1792, at a
convention that met in Danville, and later on June 1st, 1792, Kentucky
was admitted into the union as a state.
Our government is conducted according to our National and State
Constitutions.
In every constitution there is a provision for making a change. These
changes are called amendments. An amendment is a law passed by the
General Assembly and adopted by a majority of the voters.
An amendment to the Kentucky Constitution requires a three-fifths vote
of the members in both houses of the legislature to pass, and then it
is submitted by the General Assembly to the voters of the State, which
requires a majority of the voters to be adopted.
The legislature cannot repeal an amendment to the Constitution, or
pass laws contrary to its provision. The session of nineteen and
twenty in Kentucky passed two amendments pertaining to school matters.
One provides for the appointment of the Superintendent of Public
Instruction by the Governor, and the other amendment provides: "That
the General Assembly have the power to distribute the school funds."
At the next general election we will vote on these two amendments. If
the majority of the voters vote yes, this change will be made, and the
General Assembly will have the power to distribute the school funds
and the Governor will appoint the Superintendent of Public
Instruction.
The Federal Constitution may be amended by two-thirds vote of each
House of Congress, and if passed must be referred to the state
legislatures for ratification.
The amendments to the Constitution of the United States do not become
a part of the Constitution until ratified by three-fourths of the
States, which is now thirty-six states--there being forty-eight states
in the union.
There are now eighteen amendments to the Federal Constitution. The
nineteenth amendment on "Suffrage" is still pending, needing only one
more state to give universal suffrage to women.
An amendment to a constitution is simply changing some of its
provisions, but a revision is a recasting of the whole constitution.
Both require the consent of the voters of the State.
As we have said the revision usually takes place by means of a
convention of delegates elected for that purpose by the people.
"One of the most important parts of every state constitution is the
'Bill of Rights,' which is a statement of the rights which must not be
infringed on by the government."
In the revision of a state constitution the legislature submits to the
people the question of calling a convention to frame a new
constitution. If the voters are in favor of a convention they elect
delegates to the convention to assist in revising the constitution.
The revised constitution is nearly always submitted to the people to
vote upon.
The amendment known as the eighteenth amendment passed during
President Wilson's term of office and is one of great importance to
our nation in the protection of the home and humanity. This amendment
prohibiting the manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors, reads as
follows:
"Sec. 1. After one year from the ratification of this article, the
manufacture, sale and transportation of intoxicating liquors within,
the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the
United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof
for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited.
"Sec. 2. The Congress and the several states shall have concurrent
power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."
There are now eighteen amendments to our Federal Constitution, and
there has never been an amendment repealed.
The nineteenth amendment known as the suffrage amendment passed both
houses of Congress on May 21st and June 4th, 1919, submitting to the
states a proposed amendment to the Federal Constitution extending
suffrage to women. The first state to take action was Wisconsin, whose
legislature, June 5th, 1919, ratified the amendment. Other state
ratifications were Michigan, June 10th, Kansas, New York and Ohio,
June 16th, Illinois, June 17th, Pennsylvania, June 24th,
Massachusetts, June 25th, Texas, June 28th, Iowa, July 2nd, Missouri,
July 3rd, Arkansas, July 28th, Montana, July 30th, Nebraska, August
1st, Minnesota, September 8th, New Hampshire, September 10th, Utah,
September 30th, California, November 1st, Maine, November 5th, North
Dakota, December 1st, South Dakota, December 4th, Kentucky, January
6th, 1920.
The proposed amendment reads as follows:
"Sec. 1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not
be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account
of sex.
"Sec. 2. Congress shall have power, by appropriate legislation, to
enforce the provisions of this article."
The following states had granted state wide woman's suffrage: Wyoming
1869, Colorado 1893, Utah 1896, Idaho 1896, Washington 1910,
California 1911, Kansas, Arizona and Oregon 1912, Territory of Alaska
1913, Montana and Nevada 1914, New York 1917, Michigan, Oklahoma,
South Dakota 1918.
Amendments to the Federal Constitution may be proposed by Congress by
two-thirds vote, then submitted to the states for ratification by at
least three-fourths of the states acting through their legislatures
(or through state conventions as Congress may indicate, or Congress
may call a national convention for this purpose).
As has been said eighteen amendments to the National Constitution have
been made since its adoption. The nineteenth amendment will soon be
adopted in full as it only needs one more state to make the
three-fourths or thirty-six states which will give us universal
suffrage throughout the United States.
Let us remember that the Constitution of the United States is the
supreme law of the land, and no law will stand in our courts that is
in violation of our National Constitution.