The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-03-15
LETTERS TO YOUNG REPUBLICANS.
NO. l.


Written for the indianapolis journal.
My young friend-Athough have chosen for
this series of letters heading that would seem
to exclude young Democrats and old Repubi-
cans from their perusal, yet will try to state
some truths that viii be entertaining to them
also. The preparation of these epistles was
suggested to me by the approach of the presi-
dental campaign and the thought that many
young men will then vote for the first time. L
undertake the task with the hope that may be
instrumental in making them think
politically. / know how thoughtfully some
men vote, and the tendency of most
young men to do at the ballot-box what father
did before them. This is an evil. which the less
universal it is the greater will be the number of
young men converted to Republicanism.
A spirit of political inquiry usually results in
deeply fixed Lincoln Grant principles And
could set agog this questioning of your political
position, | would, if you be young man on my
side make you worker; if on the other side, L
would fill you full of disquieting force that,
soon or late, would bring you to my way OF be-
| lieving.
| 1t is your duty to think There is a law in
| each Of the United States prohibiting minors
paupers and insane persons from voting The
| reason for not extending privilege OF suffrage
| to minors and pauperS. is that they are SUBJECT
! to the will of those in authority over them-pa-
| rents and overseers--and so do not think for
| themselves. You were not allowed to vote be-
| fore you were twenty-0ne years of age, because
| it was presumed that your fathers will was
| stronger than your own till that time, and that
| you would have been required to vote as he
| thought, not as you thought. The reason for
| debarring the insane man is in that he cannot
| think. Now when you vote without thinking,
are you not getting yourself on a level with the
minor, the pauper and the daft mani Assured
| ly so. You are guilty of minor intelligence,
| pauper dependence and insane thoughtlessness.
| In the reason of things you should be
treated like these helpless beings. Being
| an unreasonable creature, you should
| be dealt with as if unreasonable. buffalo does
| better. He is ruled by the law of the herd and
having learned what that law is, he fights for it.
He reasons what is best for his community of
| fellows, and acts accordingly. If he - views
to express or rights to protect, he does 1t by bat
tie. This corresponds to the civilized ballot. If
a buffalo fights, he knows what for Do you
| know why you vote! Do l imagine l hear you
say yesl Well, then tell me why. Do not read
another line until you have thought awhile about
| why you vote If you can think to no better
purpose than that it is to elect men to office, you
had better conclude that either you are ignorant
| or thoughtless. l will wager hat though, that
| you can think of no unworthier reason.
In order that / may lead you to think that
| that there is something better to vote for than
| men, will here ask you some questions which
1 will answer in succeeding letters L hope you
! will try to answer them yourself, then see how
nearly your views agree with mine. The queries
| are:
| l. Why do you votel q Having determined
your object in voting, in what party can you ae-
| complish that bestl 8. What are parties! a..
! How many parties are there in a republicg D.
| Why can there be but two great parties in a
countryl 6. What is the one greaa question
upon which they divide! 7. What is the steady
tendency of each party' s. Can you find para
mount reason for always remaining in your
party. no matter what may be its course in
minor mattersl o. Are there no greater ques-
tions in politics than economy, honesty and
tariff T. y. E.
CoNNERSvILLE Ind.