The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1894-08-17
w. c. U. COLUMN.
CONDUCTED BY MRS. NJ. l.. HOBBS


DON'T THROW AWAY YOUR VOTE.
In the early part Of 1892 a Chris {
tian minister was converslng with
two gentlemen, when the topic of
the Presidential election was intro ,
duccd. One of them said to the I
preacher, "For whom will you vote :
next fall? You will vote for Clcve-
land won't you?" The preacher ]
replied, "No, did not vote for !
him the last time, and / shall not I
vote for him this time The gen
tleman responded with surprise.
"You are not going To vote for
Harrison, are your" "No," said
the preacher, 81 shall vote for the
candidate of the Prohibition party"
"Wcll, you will throw your vote
away" "No,n said the preacher;
.sout of three men who vote for the
candidates of the Republican, Dem
ocratic and Prohibition parties, ]
am the only man who will not
throw his vote away. Flows
that. "Why, vote for principle
is never thrown away. 1t records
the mans honest convictions. My
vote will say to the government, Il
am opposed to the legalized sa-
loon. >" "Oh! | am opposed to
the liquor traffic; ! am as good
Prohibitionist as you are. - To
which the preacher replied, Glow
will YOU vote?n III shall vote the
Democratic ticket" he answered.
suppose" said the preacher,
"that | say to you, ! am as good a
Democrat as you are, but at every
election vote the Republican ticket.
What would you think OF me?' II
see, :" said his friend. The preach
er continued 'In the last election
YOU voted for Cleveland. He was
not elected. Did you throw your
vote away
We say to every man who loves
4 his country and government,
"Don't throw away your vote" " A
ballot is intended to express q
2 mans political opinions. II it does
not do that, it is thrown away
Here are two candidates of rival
parties. Neither party represents
your convictions-your views OF
! public questions. You vote for one
s of them. Perhaps that vote elect.
= him. What have you gained!
y The man for whom you voted has
: secured his election. His part,
: has gained. But what have you
! the voter, gained?
u a strong writer, expressing hlm
u self on this subject, says, "lo,
elhave decided which Of the two mel
shall rule the State, very import
/ ant matter to the two men. Bu
since neither proposes to rule IT &C
cording to your convictions, wha
e are you profted, alter all? sup
4 pose at the same election there l
4 another candidate who has no rea
I. sonable chance of election, but wh'
! represents your convictions and dc
J. sires regarding public policy. Sup
- pose YOU vote for him, instead o
deciding the election between tn
{ other two men. L. your vot
- thrown away? Yes, most assured
,f ~ il is, so far a. the other candl
= dates are concerned. You coul
\ have determined which set shoul'
! 90 into Office and which should &
- out and YOU have not done it. In
j stead YOU have cast a ballot whlc
~ elects no man to office, but whic
does express your political desires
$50 far rs the Office seekers ar
concerned, your vote might lu'
e as well have been thrown IN tn
~ sewer. But SO far a you are cor
ie ccrncd. il was the only ballot yo
~ could have voted which would nc
~ have been thrown away. You hay
lcnDScn DtlWttIl tilioNb I've ""'s !'
= ballot so far as you are concerned
y, and throwing it away 50 far as the
~ are concerned. and you have chose
= TO do the latter. As il is your ba
~ lot. given to express your convl'
~ tions, have you not in such cas-
done exactly the right thing?
"a ballot, then, is to express
mans political convictions. II
~ does not do that, it is "A bale
'' thrown away, no matter II II q
8, cidcs the election of a President
iu the United States.
~ What political convictions does
81 Republican ballot express now
~ davs? What political conviction
~ - does a Democratic ballot express
a. l. there single issue upon VIII.
either old party is not seriously q
an vidcd? You may explain that yt
N. vote for a candidate for such az
such reasons, but your explanation
- never 90 into the box with your ba
-. Ie ,ho hallnt itself without al