Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1882-11-24
the INDEPENDENT VOTE.

A singular man is our independent.
He belongs to no party clique or ring :
he is subject to abuse, bribes. is court
ed and cursed with equal zeal. He is
called the straw man. the man withou,
principle or ready to sell his principle,
and receives more abuse than an 9th.
er being in the great American Repub-
lie. The most astute politician can
not just exactly tell how ''he is going to
sand"
As the election comes on the Ioliti-
clan becomes more and more concern
ed about the independent. He blesses
him now, but is sure to curse him as
soon as the election is over.
Our independent voter however
takes ii all good naturedy. He smiles
and says nothing. He subscribes to
neither campaign fund, but enllghtens
himself as to the qualifications and
honesty of candidates. When election
dav comes his mind is not troubled as
to how 1--WE can poll the most votes
and how 1--WE can manage to carry this
precinct or state" He does not write
the name of one candidate on the bal
lot of blind man or ignorant negro
VINO con No. .>.d, anu tel them 1t Is
the nalpe of the man they want. The
independent voter usually works until
noon then goes and deposits his bal
lot for first, the most hoEest man,
second the man least liable to be cor
rupted, and third the man best qualified
to manage affairs for him.
He gets his amount of curses and
abuse, but tales it all good naturedly.
He is very quiet. and ct his vote not
unfrequen.lv startles the most astute
politician. The independent voter
does not care much for any party or
party principles His small mind can
only zee The welfare OF his country and
his small hearf only beats for love of
the nation and desires its welfare more
than the welfare of any one party or
man.
The Independent voter is a great
eye-sore to the shrewd politician. He
is a common enemy to political rings
cliques, and what is commonly denom-
mated political machinery. Fraud de-
cepnon and political trickery wiihers
and dies by the very breath he breathes
The partisan is a slave to bogus con-
ventlons, and the party lash, but the
independent voter can truly say that
he is as free as the air about him.
As long as the patriotic, Independent:
American voter can divide the balance
Of power between the political parties,
our nation Is free. 1t Is on our Inde-
pendents that the welfare of our coun- !
try depends. They are the great bull |
warks of American freedom, and %
long as there remains some patriotic
men who prefer country, to parties, |
rings. and cliques, We are safe.
Missouri is sadly in need OF this In
dependent voting class. One party is
so powerful that its nominations are
equivalent to an election, and what is
the result Our governors. judges and
chief officers are a laughing stock for
the rest OF the world. A party of the
purest principles in the world can be
run by men OF the vilest, and as long as
money will purchase nominations, par
ties are not safe. Then let US not be
too severe on our independent voters.
They are the savlors OF our nation.
None were in the rebel army while to a
man they shouldered their muskets IN
those dark hours that tried mems souls.
They were quiet then. but terrible.
They boasted not, but did tteir Hork
as they do now, and deter the trickster.
ringster, and unpiincipled pontician
from running the country, as they did
the foe from 1901 to 1868.