St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-09-11

Among the fallacies which prevail in
society, political fallacies are Ordinari-
ly the most absurd. These are thrown
out under the stress of political excite
ment, and are nursed into active
growth by the reiteration of arguments
which could only obtain a hearing
when men are unbalanced in sound
judgment by political bias.
Two prevailing fallacies are particu-
larly noticeable in the present political
campaign. One of these is not new,
but is emphasized by the circumstances
of the occasion. 1t is to the effect that
the voter who chooses to cast his ballot
for candidates who are not likely to be
elected wastes his suffrage and foolish
ly ''throws away his vote" But the
argument carried to its logical conclu-
sion would lead to the Abandonment of
all political action except in closely
contested localities. 1t would disfran-
chise every voter who could not fore
see a probable victory for the candi-
date for whom he votes. 1t would
leave but one party in Vermont, and
that the republican, and only one in
Georgia and that the democratic. 1t
would say to every republican in a
democratic state: "YOu are in n hope
less minority, and only perform use
less task by voting for state officers
upon the republican ticket. Do not
throw away your vote, therefore, but
vote with the majority, though you
have to abandon your conviction and
stultify your manhood" This is no
more absurd than for politicians to
urge prohibitionists to abandon their
convictions and refrain from distinct
political action to save the waste of
votes which such action must involve.
There is waste of the suffrage and
wicked throwing away of votes, when
men vote otherwise than according to
their convictions of right and justice.
Men always throw away their votes
when they yield to the demand of pol
iticians and violate their cOnsciences
and better Judgment. But every vote
cast for the right, as the voter under
stands it, is a saved vote, even if it be
single in its character and become
swept up in the returns among the un-
hOnOred scattering"
The other prevailing fallacy, to
which we allude, is peculiar TO the
campaign now pending, having been
pItClplJibtu, dt iciSb III 81 itISC up-
gree, by the revelation of the charac-
| ter of the democratic nominee for the
presidency, Gov. Cleveland of New
| York. 1t is to the effect that to de-
cline to vote for James 6. Blaine in
wolves share of responsibility in pro-
noting the election of Grover Cleve-
land. The idea may have grown out
of the common practice of the partisan
press of calling every voter not III the
party traces Gan assistant democrat
| 1t is promoted, too, by the wholly un-
tenable doctrine which teaches ''of two
/ evils choose the least" 1t is as illOgi
cal rs for the thief to hold that he is IL
circumstances where he must commit
murder or burglary, and, therefore, hIi
christian neighbOr must assist him t.
burglarize the town in order to pre-
vel murder. '.But,n says the voter
sit is morally certain that the presl
Dental choice is between the candI
dates of the two great parties, an
, while have distaste for both, one o
the other will win the election" Yer.
well, let them bear the responsibility
: for the election who vote by choic
and not under protest of conscience
| J. Ii the once great republican party can