Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1888-11-03
The First Voters.

Thousands of young men are TO
cast their first vote in the approach
inc Presidential election, and they
should give to the act the loyalty OF
their best thought and conscience.
They must bear in mind that the bal
lot which they are to cast Is to rep
resent the voters opinion-not that
Of his father. his grandfather or his
emnloyer. That little piece OF pa
ner called a ballot besides represent
mo an opinion also represents the as
sociations which the voter prefers.
Tn Government, as in everything else
which ones life forms part, there
ia constantly going on the never end
inc struggle between right and wrong
and as party issues become more pro-
nounced one can almost Judge from
the makeup of the parties wherin
the wrong has found opportunity for
intrenchment, and whenever the law
less part of community is identified
in the mass with party it IS not
reasoning without good logic to say
that the party commanding the votes
and enthusiasm of the lawless is not
a marty suitable to administer good
ravarnment X If he turns
to the democratic party he will find
within its ranks many estimable citi.
zens who have plausable theories OF
Government, but as impractical for
GOOD results under democratic au-
spices. as that party is constituted
today, as were the theories OF the
pro-slavery Wings for party ascend
ency at the expense Of a great moral
nrinciple from which the moral
strength of the party could not re-
cede. The fact of the matter is that
the democratic party has set up a
theory of revenue by which tick
meets to win votes from that class
which will suffer the most severely it
the democratic theory isput in prac'
tice. the false promises being in the
slogan of cheap clothing and cheap
food which will really be dear cloth
inc and dear food if our home mark
ct for our home products is to be de
stroyed. AS the young man about
to east his first vote as an American
citizen reasons out the result OF such
a vote he will not be inclined to vote
with the democratic party because
his father or his grandfather was
democrat.
AS the young voter makes bis
study of the parties to-day he Will
see that the democratic party, In the
mass, is composed of all the un
American clements OF our citizen
ship and that it appeals to the race
and religious prejudices ofthat class.
1t is distinctly the party Of the bar
room and GROCERY. The young vo-
ter will doubtless find much in the
Republican party to condemn, but he
will find it as a national party repre-
senting the best elements OF national
life. He will find that it has been
the party that has always been sus-
ceptible to the political influence OF
the home rather than the grogshop,
and that in the struggle for control
of the party vote the home side OF
the issue has had the party strength
at the polls. Nothing can be expect
ed nationally of the Prohibitionists
in the way OF good government as a
result of the election, every one con-
ceding that the Prohibition vote will
only count to the advantage of the
rum party. The new voters will no
doubt hold the balance of power. To
those who may come within the coun-
sci of the Cleaner we only urge
conscientious study of the issues at
stake according to the best informa-
ton they can obtain, study of the
character of the parties as seen at our
doors and in acts of legislation, and
there need be little anxiety about the
young voters.-PaaCturet Valley
Cleaner.
a.