Weekly Trinity journal., 1877-08-18
THE AUTOMATIC VOTER.

lie was in town few days ago and Of
course sought us out to have the political
wrangle which comes on nearly every
time we meet, which is usually once in
one or two years, Just as the general cleo
ton happens to come around. For our
automatic voter, although reasonable
being in other respects is a perfect machine
as far as politics is concerned. lie is like
q human clock, wound up when its 2lst
birth day arrived to run until its main
spring is stilled in death. Once or twice
II year the clock strikes. Those times are
when a convention meets or an election is
held. Then the human machine stops the
ordinary business of life and strikes for
"the party" He comes in as delegate
to the convention for "his party" must be
represented in the precinct. Everything
is cut and dried and he might as well
have stayed away, but party interests
will be better served ifa full convention
arrived, he goes to the polls, picks up a
ticket and only looks at it sufficient to as
certain that it contains no names but
those of"the party nominees" :" This he
deposits in the ballot box, tries TO induce
others to do the same, and the farce ofthat
election is over.
The automatic voter is somewhat given
to Boosting TINT he never scratched II
ticket. The one we have in view did,
however, scratch his ticket and vote for
one Wing twenty odd wears ago, and it
has been n source of bitter regret for him
from that day TO this. Not that the con-
founded Wing (who was elected) made
faithess officer, for be admits that he
Was JUS the reverse, but then his con
sistency Of action was destroyed by that
one rash act. lie feels that he has COM
miitcd an objectionable sin, politically it
is to be held ms the sin against the Holy
Ghost is held in religion. Even if the
powers above lorgava him, he can not
forgive himself, that for once there wHs
such Il arrangement Of the political
machinery within him, that be was per-
suaded against voting II straiEht ticket.
When the hour Of his dissolution arrives,
life have been venal compared with this
one, nor will it be held sufficient expia-
ton that he has attended every conven-
ton of his party, ut great Inconvenience,
an voted nm unscratchcd ticket ever since.
His delinquency on that occasion would
not be known were it not that he recalls
and rcproaches himself with it. Like
Banquo's ghost, i" sit will not down." but
forces itself upon his conscience Gay and
night.
1t is not necessary for US to add that
our automatic friend is strict Democrat.
Claiming TO be Union man and opposed
to secession, lie invariably acted and
voted with the sccessonists. 1t was
enough for him that n man was tho can
didatc of Ms ''party" and that fact swept
away all his antecedents, good and had +.
All that is necessary to secure the support
no matter how. You may buy your
place upon it--you may owe it to the
Vaccinations Of ring of corrupt politi.
cinns who live by office and hold the well
fare OF the public interest secondary
consideration to their own, but if you can
come proudly before him with the pres
tigc Of being "the regular nominee" it is
the one thing necdlul. Such trincs as
competency, honor, fitness for the posi-
ION, Identification with the public inter
est, have no weight with the automatic
voter. He walks up to the ballot. box,
puts in his ticket "straight," thinks he
has performed his whole duty in 50 doing,
and leaves consequences to take caro- of
thems elves.
For tunat ely for tho best interests of
the county there are not many of its
voters who are mere machines. They
have higher appreciation of the duties
of a citizen. And when the nominees of
their party do not come up to the stand
ard of qualification requisite to the dis
charge OF the duties oflhe position sought
the Independent voter puts in nm appear
ance and cuts and slashes his ticke. at n
fearful rate. In this way we have and
will continue to have n good county gov.
ernment. When political questions are
Mt issue, we vote our principles. When
local interests are Mt stake We consult
those interests by supporting the men wo
deem best qualified for their duties. The
voters Of this county arc not mere ma
chimes, charged with Republicanism AMI
Democracy, like Babc0ck extinguisher
is with the ingredients for its purpose and
let of once in two years in one particular
direction. Your machine voter is not the
Eight kind of material for citizen, there
is something lacking in its composition.
y wooden man would answer ali purpos-
es equally as well as he, and Chinaman
could perform the automatic duties which
he exercises and thinks himself perform
ing the highest Curction of citizenship. -
We are glad the voters of this county are
of the independent kind. While they
continue so we feel assured the interests
of the county will be properly guarded.
Our county is of large extent, 1sF small
population and wealth. \ mountain of
debt contracted during the Flush days"
weighs lis down-debt running for so
many years that the interest exceeds the
principal when pay day is reached and
no one will dispute US when we say that
such situation of affairs requires wise
and prudent management. The county