The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-10-29
OLD MEN WHO NEVER VOTED.
Joe Jefferson Will Cast His First Ballot
This Yaar-A Farmar's Romance.

Joe Jefferson Will Cast His First Ballot
This Year-A Farmers Romance.
From the New York World.
To find a native born American who has
reached the age of so and has never cast a vote
would seem an impossibility. And yet such
men do exist. By diligent search reporter
was able to find three But it is to their credit
| that every one has seen the folly of his ways
and means to vote this year. They not only
mean to vote but they express themselves as
eager to vote for Cleveland and Thurman.
Joseph Jefferson, the world famous actor.
means to cast the first vote Of bis lifetime next
election day. He Is at present IN Cnlcago and
consequently could not personally state his
| reasons for having reached the age of SO with
out having voted. Mr. Jeffersons son, however,
| is staying at the Morton house, and he
| took a few moments yesterday from his bust
| ness, as manager of four theatrical companies,
to explain his fathers reasons for not voting.
He said
1T is a fact that my father never has voted.
| suppose one reason is that he is generally trav-
cling during election time, and it has so hap
pened that at most elections he has been where
he could not vote if he wanted to, and
then it is bad for actor 70 be political par
| tisan. He acts to the general public, and if he
was violent politician some people might OBJ
ect 70 seeing him. l know that although my
fatheri takes sgreat interest in politics he
has never belonged to either party. | have
heard him several times say he would ike to
vote, but it was always because he admired the
candidate. regardless of his party. He owns
property in Louisiana, Brooklyn and New Jer-
sew. so suppose he could vote in any of these
places. He has made up his mind, however, to
vote at Hohocus, his New Jersey place. He met
I'D. Cleveland last winter in Washington, anu
personal intercourse only heightened his already
high opinion of the man.
Lindcu county, New jersey, the reporter
found A. j. Strong, a well-to-do and hale old
man, "a years old, who will cast his first vote
this year Mr. Strong cultivates 100 acres. and
lives with his son and daughter. When the re-
porter drove up, the old gentleman was enjoy
ing his afterdnner nap on the yeranda. After
some hesitation he consented to tell why he had
| never voted. He said:
- lacked Just two months of being 81 years
Of age when James h. Polk was elected PreSi-
lent, and il almost broke my heart because |
could not vote for him. When the next election
ime came around | was just as eager to cast
ny first vote for Franklin Pierce, but had
other claims on me by that time During those
| four years | had met, courted and married
Annie Jeans over at Miburn. Come in, Mr..
NawSna "er Man, and I'll show you Annie's
picture"
The old man took his visitor into the best
DaflOf. ,.ud showed nIm Toe picture of a sweet
| faced country girl, evidently painted by coun-
try artist. and just as evidently good likeness.
There were tears in Mr.. Strongs eyes as he con
tinued: Well she was just as good and true
| a. sue was pretty. year after we were mar
| ried NV son john was born. and eighteen
months later my little Annie came. was proud
| of all three of EN-. And on election day made
- az 4uinu TO ltKe EN- wan me to Mllourn
| when went to vote, to kind OF show 'em off.
| had new colt just then that put on lots of
| style and when he was hitched up to the two
| ~ ltPd wagOn he made a pretty show / don't
know how it happened but when we
| got near Milhurn / had my head turned,
| talking to ANNIE and the colt SHE'D. We
| ....,. 4uiJe upset, but Annie had tue baby in
| Ter arms and wouldn't let go to save herself.
She ilISt Slid out: there was a pile of stones
| right there and she fell on 'em. At first didn't
| think she could be hurt much, but jumped out
lulcK and ram back to where she was | noticed
her position was queer. Her lead was kind of
/ Dent on one side. saw the baby wasn't hurt
| Jis. so laid it down in the road and tried to
'i"I Wy '"nia When lifted her her head fell
back. Her neck was broke. When l came to
| n, sci 80 was lots of people round and they
| took us home. Every election day since has
| been the anniversary Of my Annie's death. and
| I've had no heart to go to the polls. 1t would
| have brought it all back too strong. This year,
you see, 10 4Iy s,ranusou $ urst en- tnce to vote,
and he's dead-set on doing it. | guess I'll so
| with him, 50 as TO be round if anything happens
| 70 hi0' And while I'm there I'll vote for Cleve-
| land"
| "a Nestchester. county New York, lives Mr..
| Thomas Tilhnghast. He is 40 years old and this
ear will cast his first vote He also favcrs Mr..
! Cleveland. His reasons as stated by himself for
| iot having voted before are peculiar. He said:
| - don't that it's any business of yours
| whether voted or not; but STILL if you've come
al this way TO find out III tell you never did.
| Why: Well, cause / didn't want to- l went
nto the army when was ~ at the first of the
| var, and | stayed right at the front, except
| when | was in hospital for wounds, until the
close of the fighting. I've been on this farm
| Yer since, ana though I fought my best and
| ''g't "1r'l. too. Fin't much of legi lator
| When elections have come round I've been down
| to the village every time to hear fellows talk.
First fellow d get up and talk abont the war and
| say the republican PARTY mad saved the country
| and ought to be supported, and l thought he
| was pretty nigh right; and the next night some
| other chap would get up and say the war was
| over and the republicans were running the gov
| eminent for money and the democrats was the
salvation of things. Well, after listening to this
/ chap I'd think he right and the firSt fellow
| was wrong 1t didn't seem to make much differ
| once 40 lilo wnlcI side Won. | tad to work Just
| as hard. SO jest kept out of the thing and
| new voted. This year I've only been to the
| village one night, and then heard a Cleveland
| ;.an talk. The way he set things up for Cleve-
| land aud Hill just settled it with me- and l am
| going to vote fer EN- both. No! ] wont change
| my mind again, because amt going to hear
| my speakers on the other SIDE and there amt
| 40 one round here with nerve enough to come
| and talk politics to me if ldon't want to hear
| 'enl."