The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-04-28

oO4O1 LIS o~uEOSoOJ 0O CIOd1J OH0 du6S-
ton of motive can but have one inter
probation. We thank him for the
message and wish him God speed, in
securing it's enactment.
The reasons for such a law are many
and urgent.
1 1t would place the ballot on it's
true foundation in the law and in the
minds of the people. Fourth of July
screamers have talked of the ballot as
"a privilege, IAN expression of opin-
ion" that is almighty and to be taken
as the voice of God, and stuff of similar
import, until the great superstition of
the Electoral Franchise has been
developed. People have actually come
to believe that the ballot is primarily
a Fright, coincident with the birth of
a male biped in this country,-a right
that said male biped can do as he
pleases with-use it if he likes-or
throw it to the dogs if he feels like it.
Now as an actualfact all this is solemn
nonsense. The ballot is not an "inal-
ienable right" incident to the birth of
a male animal called man, even in the
theory of the American Constitution.
Such an idea is only a political super
stitution-one that is at variance with
the fundamental principles of a repub-
lican government.
The ballot is not and never has been
a right. 1t is a duty. The ballot is
the substitute of humanity and civil
cation for the bayonet. To fight in
the ranks of any army is not called a
Fright" 1t is not sought as a right or
a privilege. 1t is sought as a duty. 1t
is accepted as a duty. To vote is a
solemn duty, a sacred trust imposed
upon a certain number of the members
of a self-governing community, by the
fact of the possession of certain talents
that qualify, or r esupposed to qualify,
the voter for the discharge of this
duty. Men endowed with minds sufi-
GENTLY matured and bodies sufficiently
strong are entrusted with the work of
governing the community for the bene-
fit of the whole, including the weaker
ones, to whom morally they are ac-
countable for the discharge of the
trust. The voter is a citizen-king.
The kings crown and sceptre are not
rights they r special trusts. He
cannot refuse to govern and still be
a king. He cannot throw his crown
and sceptre and robe, the proud en-
blems of a nations power, in the ditch
and sewer, and plead his fright to
do as he pleases. Besides, man has
no right to do what he pleases, even
with his own. Man only has the right
to do what he ought to do. No man
can plead personal liberty to disregard
a solemn obligation. The ballot is a
solemn obligation imposed on every
man qualified to exercise it. His quail
fications are the impregnable basis of
the duty that binds him to their ex-
ercise.
To fail knowingly and wilfully in
this duty to the country is high treason.
The man who deserts in the army is
held to be traitor and is shot. The
man who deserts the ballOt-the sub
stitute for the bayonet-should be
punished by civil law as a criminal.
The crime committed is precisely the
same in degree as that of the deserter.
2. Place the ballot clearly in law
and in the minds of the people on this,
it's true basis, and intimidation be-
comes a crime that cannot be commit
ted. What the State requires in law,
the State must make practical, and
give to the faithful citizen the fullest
protection.
8. The greatest dangers that threaten
us to-day are not from the ignorant
and vicious classes. These are a min
GRITTY. They are but a fraction of the
| governing body. Our great danger
lies in the Indifference of intelligent
citizens. They have grown tired Of
the bitter fights of the practical politi-
cal arena. They have grown disguised
with the corruption and the stencil of
the political mob. To keep out of a
dog fight, they have deserted and
given the State over to the dogs.
Many of these people too are lazy.
They r too lazy to vote, too lazy to
think. Besides, they hope to escape
jury duty by not registering. Mena r
not excused in the army because they
become disguised with the filth of camp
and hospital life. They must stand by
their post. Neither are soldiers ex-
cused for laziness. The man who de-
sertsi is shot. There is nO excuse allowed.
III o- IL IornnAr tho hnllnt has NJ