The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1893-07-21
Yonne Men of ,a6.

Inc boys are SGllI at ScnOOl ana
working with father on the farm who
will cast their first vote in 1896; but
they are everyone planning for the
future and looking forward to the
time when they will first vote. Now,
boys. are you going to let that be an
independent expression of your opin-
ion as you have formed it from your
study of the declarations and actions
of the various organizations soliciting
your vote, OF will it be merely a dunn
my echo of your fathers habit of vot-
ing? A young man who has always
lived within the sound of Republican,
ism, is apt to believe that only Repub-
licanism is right, and q young man
who has always read and heard the
Democratic view is apt to cast a vote
with that party without a thought but
that he is doing just right.
But let me tell you the party may
have changed since your father de-
cided to throw his fortunes with it;
may have changed so gradually that
your father never perceived it, and be-
sides. all of us are liable to make mis-
takes-all of us are likely to be in
error, so if the party had not changed
in the least your father may have made
a mistake in first joining it. Is it not
worth your while then, as free-think-
ing, INDEPENDENT, manly boys, to throw
aside the prejudice you accepted when
you were smaller and investigate each
party for your own self? Do not be
content with the thought that you are
helping some party to beat its antago-
mist, but be ambitious to cast vote
that will better your prospects in life
and that will be to the interest of the
home you hope to make and to the in
terest of your country. You cannot
cast an intelligent vote without study,
and that study will make of you man.
Make Il fair, earnest, impartial study
of the political parties, and then decide
conscientiously which it is your duty
to support. Are You interested in
having the volume of currency in
creased so that when you 60 into bust
ness for yourself you will not be hamp-
cred for an insufficient medium with
which to do businessP Do you think
it would be for your interest and to
the interest of the country to have the
railroads controlled by the govern
ment instead of by men whose every
condition of life forces toward avarice?
Would it not be better state of affairs
if the employees were receiving not
less than 50 day, and passenger
rates were not more than 1 cent
mile, than to have the present wages
and rates in order to pay dividends on
enormously watered stocksP Are YOU
interested in having the government
operate the telegraph and telephone
lines with the same beneficent result
as from the postal system? Do you
think that the public lands should be
held for the people instead of given
free to gigantic corporations to be
held for the purpose of speculation?
Do you believe you are capable of self
government and should have the pow
er, if you desire to say. whether or not
a proposed measure should become a
lawP In other words, are you in favor
of the initiative and referendum?
If you are, boys, and if you believe
all these. want you tn study and see
to which party you belong, and when
you have decided be man enough to
vote for your party, and not some
body else's party. There is party
that expresses itself unalterably in
favor of all these reforms, and if you
are a truth-seeking, intelligent boy,
you will soon find yourself within the
of the Peoples party
Progressive Farmer.