(Editor’s Note. A significant statement on the non-voters of the territory is given below by Raymond C. Brown, who as secretary of the territory has worked out the figures in connection with the official record of the vote in the last territorial general election.)

The figures … showing registration, giving the voting and non-voting in each precinct of the territory, will not tell the entire story.

The census of 1920 … show that the territory had 47,000 citizens of voting age. In the elections of that year, 20,000 voters registered. This small number can be accounted for because the women, at that time, could not vote.

Statistics show that our voting strength increases about 2000 net every two years. In … 1922 therefore, 49,000 citizens had arrived at voting age. In the elections of that year, the women could vote but the registrations were only 26,000 … and of the 26,000 who did register, 4600 … did not vote.

In the elections of 1924, … we had 51,000 citizens who were eligible to vote. … Approximately 35,000 were registered, therefore 16,000 … did not … register. And further, of the 35,000 who did register, 5000 did not vote. …

The natural assumption is that a fair percentage of the 16,000 who did not register in the 1924 elections were, in some manner, incapacitated. … Therefore, allowing a reasonable decrease … and placing those who could not register at 4000, we have left 12,000 who should have registered. …

It is beyond comprehension that these 12,000 are willing to accept protection of the government; want the police force to function in their interests; want good streets and good roads; want a beautiful city; want the health of the city protected … but in the face of these things, (are) unwilling to register and become a part of government.