Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-11-16
THE RULING POWER.
A RED BLUFF VOTER on THE
ELECTIVE FRANCHISE.
Reflections on Votes That May Decide
the Fate of a Nation-Some-
thing to Think About.


of human nature for the last three days
What valuable lessons have been taught
that same class since November 6, 1888
The election has come and gone, but the
memories of that eventful day, how they
cling TO us, even as does the ivy to the oak.
regardless of the efforts of wind and wave
70 remove them
Election day in Red Bluff is ever an in
terestiDg one, but the 9Th day of Novem-
Der, 1858, has already taken its place in the
lead of all others in point Of interest and of
importance.
Fortunate, or perhaps unfortunate,
enough to be member of the household
OF one of those much prosecuted beiugs-a
judge of election-the tirst intimation which
had of the dawn of that great day was
the alarm which was sounded by an en-
thusiastic candidate at, it seems to me,
about clock in the morning, in order to
arouse this sleeping judge and put him in
fair way to be ready to put the voting
machinery in running order at the earliest
possible moment, so that that large but ex-
ceedingly important element known as
the doubtful vote" might be polled early
Not having had the audacity to aspire
to any of the high offices within the
sacred keeping of the people, my own
slumbers were undisturbed by a second
alarm until Sol " in all of his glory bad
long been the silent but vigilant observer of
mans corruption as manifested throughout
the extensive domains of Uncle Sam on
election day.
Unterriied by visions OF formidable op-
ponents during the previous night, my re-
pose had been calm, and my rest had been
not of body alone, but of the higher and
nobler portion of mans existence as well;
md I 40 hn 10 IL. /, j
fallen upon me, and arose fresh and yigor-
Gus in both body and mind, and remem-
bered that on that day was to exercise a
privilege, l was to cast vote, which might
possibly change the fate of this nation, |
felt, perhaps more than ever before, the
blessing of being citizen of this portion of
our Creators foot-stool; and as | realized
the power which | exercised, though un-
able to place within the ballot-box but a
single vote, began to weigh the RESPONSE
bilities which fell upon me when | assumed
to exercise so powerful prerogative, and
as | thought of these | became serious lest
use my power in way that would not
bring the most happiness to myself and my
feilow-men during that small portion of
eternity enjoyed by our race on earth. |
was unusually long IN preparing my toilet
that morning; my thoughts were too deep
>,
finally | began to raise in my own estima-
ton and TO sum up the list of my supposed
complishments, and came to the con-
clusion that | might reasonably hope to
choose from the long list of men whose
names were presented to me on the various
tickets, such as might be best fitted for the
positions to which they aspired.
Having reached this conclusion, and hav-
ing again recalled the importance of my
vote, and the caution with which it ought
to be voted, l stepped from my pleasant
quarters out into the open air and was
soon walking briskly along one of the bus
lest thoroughfares on my way to my usual
place OF business. The change from my
comfortable home to the windy and dusty
streets was not the most agreeable one, and
as hurried on my way my thoughts, which
had been up to that time above my sur
roundipgs, began to lower little, and to
dwell upon the persons and things with
which | was surrounded. The first sounds
that reached my ears as pressed on were
the campaign cries of the respective polit-
cal parties, and though | remembered that
these great parties were diametrically op-
posed to each other | also remembered
that in the enthusiasm of each was mani
tested as true patriotism as ever gratifed
the ears of the most loyal heart, and the
cries of neither party grated harshly on my
ears; but warming up as | neared the
source of this enthusiasm, and inhaling
the cool, refreshing atmosphere as l moved
on, so that might be ready to use my
lungs to good effect in support OF my own
party in this important campaign, | soon
found myself in the midst of the excite
ment. Glancing around me looked long
and earnestly into the faces of those to
whom | had been indebted for nv enthu-
siasm for some redeeming feature, but it
was not there. Their hurrahs had been
long and loud, and their voices had served
them well in their effort, and convened TO
the distant hearer more than a passing
interest in the election, but when once
brought face to face to this motley crowd of
enthusiasts what did l find /?
A crowd of perhaps twenty men in front
of one of our most disreputable saloons.
The only familiar face to be seen there was
that of one of our local candidates for Of
fee, and nothing could picture the shame
which he seemed to feel in being found in
such company, and yet he was there. He
wanted their votes and for the time being
he had to be one of them. The rest OF this
crowd were not men of intelligence thev
were not men who were informed on the
issues of the day; nay, they knew not even
what they were; they had no family con-
nections in our fair city they had no prop
erty here; they had nothing whatever of
the long. list of comforts with which our
homes are filled; indeed they had not in
the whole State, whose officers were being
elected, nor in the entire Union, which was
to be this day transferred to another polit-
ical party, one single thing that would en-
title them to vote, unless it be the fact that
they had inherited mans form and his
worst appetite, namely, that for intoxicat-
ing drinks. And yet these men, at the price
OF the drink which had just been paid for
by the candidate who had them in charge,
were marching over to the polls and were
going to cast votes that might change the
fate of the whole country.
| watched them as they turned the near
est corner on their way TO the polling
place, and when they disappeared and |
realized what | had seen and that my vote
would only cancel one of the votes polled
by these twenty men; that although with
out education TO enable them to Judge of
the advantages of the policies to be pursued
by the respective parties; without property
to be affected by their votes; without
homes or family ties to be rendered less
secure by placing in Office men too corrupt
and dishonest TO be trusted with the bust
ness interests of the public, and without
the soberness to exercise what little discre-
lion they naturally possessed that, with
out possessing any of the above qualitica-
tions any one of these men had as much
say as to the management of this Gov
ernment as did, was not only disguised.
but | feared for the safety of nation that
permitted such inexcusable liberties as this
to be taken with her government, and that
was so completely in the hands of the very
lowest, the very meanest and the most in
competent and irresponsible element of
which IL is composed.
Can any man of thought go around our
polls on election day in this State and be
proud OF his Government? Other places
may have the advantage of US, but by ali
that is sacred it was not with pride that
walked up to the ballot-box and cast nv
vote and saw standing around me scores of
men who had voted, or were 10 vote. not
one whit superior to those whom | had
seen marched away from the lowest dive
in this city earlier in the day
You are man of broad views and of
much experience. You have travelled at
home and abroad, and have bad an oppor-
tunity to compare our condition with that
OF other nations. Is it possible that we of
all Gods people are the most highly IA
yored in point Of selfgovernment?
cannot think that Tariff is the issue
Of most importance TO the people Of this
Union at present, in the light of this cleo
tion- 1t cannot possibly be, for unless
some change is soon made. we, as a people,