The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1894-02-09
The Truly Independent Voter.

The Truly Independent Voter.
Chss. G. 4 ditch had letter IN last week.
} Phoenix txninitinp soreness c yer the observa
tion ny h REroRMrR that be supported Gov
, Fuller In 1892, and differences left hat he wa
among those VINO were not entirely consistent
, In berg 70 uncompromisingly exclusive IL
their Democracy on the postofllse question
objecting 10 Republicans being allowed any
say as under he "Windham county pian.' te
: Republicans being employed In the Off CT
! even In obedience 10 the civil service law 81
IN tn Lindsey case. or to anything less thar
partisan use of the spolIs. He evidently
: thought that such . coat fitted him. He says
that he had ''good ressons" for voting for
Fuller; but doesn't state what they were ex
cept that the Governor was bis "friend.'
Any personal bIackguardism which he In.
dulged 10, any talk about "selfsh motives"
Of some one else we need not notice; he has
yet to learn that that is a very cheap substi
tute for argument, and only weakens what
ever of argument is made. But there Is an
issue raised In his letter which 1t 10 oppor.
tune to discuss, not as to him personally
for In justice to him 1t 10 to be said that he
only did what many good men would do IN
! bis place-but because Of distinctions OF pc.
ltlcsl morality which are really vital.
Independent voting that is really independ.
emit, Is ever blessing to q state or COM
munity. 1t IA what every citizen pledges him.
self to, when be takes the Freeman's Oath 10
80 cast bis vote
~ in your conscience you shall Judge DiW
most c0nduce to the best good Dsth0ut
FEAR OR FAVOR of any man.
The man who VOTES for another simply b.
cause be Is friend" violates this oath, this
solemn duty be has taken upon himself.
So does the man who let's bis vote be con.
tro led by spite.
Or by favors received or expected.
Or by personal interests of any kind.
There are gradations all the way from
genuine Independence Of voting, the highest
function of citizenship, to outright selling
of voles which is the basest prost u
ton of It. The lines of division are MOI
always clear, apt to pe confused more or i IS
by I, irly good men who Go not stop to think
and often require the most patient and con-
scientious weighing of considerations before |
right action can be taken. |
The decision has to be left with each man
because It can be left safely nowhere else.
But this only increases the citizens obligation
under our free institutions to act con. Client
lousy, to remember his oath before God. and
bis duty to bis fellow men, never to cat
vote except such as 10 bis opinion will icon
duce to the best good" Of all, not Of self or Of
any or all others less than the whole. ANY
hing less Is ! strict ethics sale of the vote.
In Vermont another consideration enters
It the state election In presidential years,
which though not properly germane has to be
recognized In the weighing Of
considerations which the conscientious citi- I
IN should make. Every vote cast has an !,
Important bearing on the presidential elect
on to follow two mouths later. As 1t Is the
r.t and now almost the only state election
Turing the campaign, the We mont election II
q September has come to be watched as an
1dex Of the sentiment OF the country and 1t
as never in 40 years failed to show by the
ze of the Republican majority, whether in q :,
reased or decreased, how the country was .
Ding In November. The Democrat or Re- ',
ubIicap, therefore, who votes against his party ;,
September does all he can to discourage
nd weaken instead OF cheering and strength y
1iug his party In its national struggle. He -
,nnot overlook this consideration, however =
uch be may regret It's existence 1t is not :
I'd of course should not be decisive, but =
usi be given its due weight. -
a.
no conscien iousIy bell we'd Col. Smalley 10 -
unfit for off sc, or who thought Col Fuller II
be so much superior, or who regarded The ~
lrposes, Issues and tendencies for which W
ller stood as likely to bring so much bene-
to the state as to fairly Offset anv danger a'
injury to the cause Of Ceve land, was jus. ID
led In voting for Fuller. Otherwise not.
A vote for either Fuller or Smslley, merely III
such, was not legitimate act of friend. Ok
10, In the ultimate ethics OF the matter, pr
y more than 1t would have been . legiti- ''o
ate business transaction to vote for either au
cause he mad loaned you $40 or signed tn
te with you. The utmost personal liking on
r either. or respect for him IS business su n
IN, Gillian or neighbor, was not at all in An
1sistent with a vote against him. In fact, fat
, only thing q cit'zsn had . right to co., CO..
Ter was what on the whole and In every n nS
,ect Of the case seemed to him to be the on
It for the public.
Mr.. Endlich or any Democrat who can {
lthfulIy say he voted for Gov Fuller on adj
5 Freeman's Oath ground. and no other. thu
right. and even though some may think It S Sro
mistaken view, no reproach can lie for It thu
was. in other words, q true, Independent RAJ
tea Mug vump vote. o.e
IA the RHFORMER never undertakes the ne,
pos ,ible work Of measuring mons motives, wa
las never repros ched any one with such ioi
%. But 1t has sought in this ease to in- a.
ss some of these voters with the fact that ira
re was Inconsistency ia their denouncing the
ependence or mugwumpery or disregard IN, u,s
oTty lines 10 the interest of the public On ore
part CT others. bri
md we hops by this time that We have CO.. TN.
De the p, int clear. etc