The Daily Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Or.) 1876-1883, 1882-06-01
A Common DUTY.

On next Monday, the 9th inst,
the voters Of this state will |
decide who are to De Our state |
officers for the next four years, and
will also express their choice for
county officials. There Isl certain |
element in the ranks of American
voters that never quite determines
which way it will turn its vote till !
the eve of election. The ballots |
of these men count just as much |
on the day. of election as their
more thoughtful fellow-citizens,
and sometimes constitute the un-
known factor in the problem. It'll
is duty that every man owes to
his country, whether he be native
or naturalized, to vote on election
day; it is his proudest privilege as
an American sovereign; a privilege
that should not be abused.
Throughout the state there has
been for the last month, the usual
amount of campaign charges and
political falsehood, to all OF which
our readers will give very little
credence. We are not in the
advice business, we have neither
endorsed nor opposed any candi-
date, but say this much; that no
man who is unfit for a public
trust should be elected; no man
whose interests and prosperity are
not identified with the community
or state should be elected; no man
with one idea III his head, no
man of narrow mind and bigOted
education should be elected, and
here is the point-no man should
be voted for simply because he is
on this ticket or that ticket. We
believe fully in party ties; it is
necessary that there should he
two parties, the one to watch. the
other; this is government of
checks and balances, and one
great party looks sharply after the
other, and both do good work as
censors; but personal fitness, bust
ness qualification, integrity of char
acter, and agood honest record, is
what we shalljook at in making up
our ticket on election das@he time
has gone by when men would vote
for dog or a devil if he were on
their. party'ticket: now a-days men
do their own thinking in matters
of faith, politically as we'll as re-
hgiously, and refuse TO swallow
any dose that party managers con-
coct for them. Party success is
subordinate to more material
consideration; Of course it is very
important whether Brown orJ c,les
or Robinson shall go to Salem to
elect two United States Senators
whose votes may turn the scale
of national political supremacy
should the senate be closely
divided. But it is of more i'm
portance TO us here in Clatsop
county, in business point of view,
to put men in Office who are faith
fui and honest and who will work
for the advancement OF our pros
perity as a community.
Throughout this fight we have
not admired a single line charg-
ing individuals with any real or
alleged misconduct, either publicly
or privately, for this reason, and
this only-that it is generally
more a matter of personal spite
than a love for the public that in
spires such a communication. We
have no one to recommend for
office, but say in general that the
: possession of a vote makes it the
duty Of a man to cast.his vote as
his own intelligence and good
sense suggests.
In general, citizens disposi-
ton of his vote is exactly in ac-
cordanoe with his value of it. If
he doesn't care for it-if he con-
siders it as being something that
this government gives him that is
directly Goa ve:tible into coin. or
indirectly convertible into in
A,,aroa h. :n :. u