The record-union., 1892-10-19
A FEW WORDS FOR EVERY CIT
IZEN.

The citizen who loves his country and
desires to have the nearest possible ap-
proach made to the ideal in the scheme of
our Government, will do all he can to
inform his fellow-citizens upon the re-
quirements of the ballot law, and will do
all he can, also, to prevent confusion of
ideas concerning it.
1t is the theory of our system in this
republic, that the Government is the
direct and express will of the people,
manifest. The more direct this is the
nearer the approach to the ideal. There
lore, in an elective system where men
count more tnan ever before, where the
voter selects the candidates of his choice
by party prediction or by individual
and name, and by distinct act of mark
ing the individuals name as the one the
voter desires to have serve him, or rep
resent his party belief, we come nearer
TO the ideal than in a system where the
voter accepts unthinkingly party group
Now it must be understood that party
is not eliminated by the ballot law: nor
in this argument is its value or potency
underestimated. Party represents the
beliefs of men thinking alike and ad-
herring to certain fundamental doctrines
affecting the policy to be pursued, or that
is pursued in the government. Under
the ballot law the voter can Just as read
lily vote his party beliefs as under any
other system. If he believes the Repub-
lican doctrines wisest and best, and that
the party has put up the best ticket, as it
certainly has done, he has hut to indicate
Republicans as his choice on the ballot.
Now, everyone knows that there are in
tiuences, active and tireless, that wish to
impress the people with the idea that the
ballot law is complicated, difficult to un-
derstand and calculated to defeat the will
of some, and to actually disfranchise
others. These Influences are those that
desire to stand between the voters and
the expression of the will of the majority
those who oppose direct expression of
the will of the people and wish to be the
Intermediates, the machines through
which the governmental policy desired
by the people is supposed to be an
nounced.
Whenever a man says, therefore, that
the ballot law is complicated, that it de-
feats expression, that it is unintelligible.
that it distranchises, that it is harsh and
unfair, and so on, suspect the man. He
is either man who wishes to control and
manipulate the ballot that is the voters
only; one whose seif-interest is antago-
nized by the intelligent and thoughtful ae-
ton Of the voter, or he is ignorant of
what he pirates, and serves the purpose of
the venal and selfish unwittingly.
What there is complicated in this simple
system we defy any to demonstrate.
l. Procure a sample ballot. Take it
home, as the New England fathers did a
hundred years ago. Go over the names
of men running for Senator Opposite
each you will find The party designation
clearly expressed). Fixing on whom
you wish to represent you, make cross
opposite the name.
2. Do the same in the case of Assembly
men, Sheriff, Clerk and so on. Probably
this viii take you few minutes. Is not
the welfare of your country, is not your
sovereignty worth the sacrifice of the
time?
3. In like manner mark the propo-
sitions to be voted for or against-as, that
you are against extending legislative
sessions for the squandering of your
money and the feeling of lobbyists; that
you oppose making the Lieutenant Gov
ernor State officer to travel every day
at your expense to do that which can be
better done by a Board of Charities and
Corrections; THAT you oppose refunding
the State debt, and thus plunging the
schools into politics. by making their
support dependent upon the whim or
religious prejudices of legislators; that
YOU favor the election of United States
Senator by vote of the people, because it
brings government nearer to you; and
so on.
4. On the morning of the election go to
the polls; first ascertain your register