Birmingham age-herald., 1894-10-07
SAM JONES' OPINIONS.
As to What oohstiitytes a Model
 Citizen snd Voter.
An Honest, Upright, Intelligent Man. Who Regards the Ballot as a Most Sacred Trust, and Acts and
 Votes Accordingly.
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A good government will protect the life, liberty and property of each citi- zen. Every model citizen looks we'll to, and will protect at any cost. the hopot, the integrity and purity of his government.
 There are governments and govern ments. often hear it said that ours is the best and freest government in the world.
 lreckon up to date it is, but very frequently ask myself the question, will it last? Can a government for the peo- pie, and of the people, and by the peo- pie, stand? Are the people capable of self-government? Ignorance, prejudice and vice are no more capable of self government than the devil is capable of righteous and holiness.
 The model voter must rid himself of prejudice and ignorance. He must be in possession of such facts and right theofies as will enable him wisely to discern what is best now and best for the future history of our country. He must be able to discern between a pol itician and statesman, between po- litical wire-puller and an honest, up right man, between principles and party. Political prejudice pfecipitated the war between the states, political prejudice perpetuates Mason's and Dixon's line; political prejudice seems now to be dividing this country not only north and south, but east and west.
 I'd rather monkey with gun or rough on rats than with political preju- dice where ignorance is dominant. Combine fool and rascal in one per son and you have before you the most un-get-at-able, unmanagable, unteach- able, unmitigated jackass that ever dis turbed the quiet of barn lot. Why can't a man be as sensible in politics as in anything else? Twill buy certain brand of flour; when the thing runs down will quit 1t and try some other but once democrat always demo- crat. No matter how close the thing gets to the gates of hell, once repub- lican always republican. To quit either party is to be tabooed by all the faithful and r,1rad hJr tho -,a,-rsI>e r,a-a and orators from Maine to California as traitor to his party and a mugwump, etc.
 A model voter is an honest, upright, intelligent citizen, who votes in perfect line with his convictions of right with no more reference to party lines than the old negro blowing corn has refer ence to the latitudinal and longitudinal lines made by topographers.
 It is seldom the case that model voter can vote straight ticket. It is hard to get a ticket from governor down to constable where every man named on the straight ticket is an up right man.
 A model voter will not vote for drunkard for a liar for gambler, for a whoremonger, for any office in the world, and when any man gets his own consent to put his ballot in the box for an unclean, dirty dog, he stultifies his own character and stigmatizes his own ballot.
 A primary election may nominate, on the day of the election, the candidate may be successful but man who is personally mean cannot be officially good. I have deliberately and unalter- ably made up my mind to scratch every dirty dog off of every ticket put in the ballot box and take a decent man off of any other ticket and put him in his stead. If this is not an honest, patri- otic vote, then I don't know what honesty and patriotism are. If the democrats nominate the devil, hoof and horn, if the republicans take up the meanest imp in perdition and nominate hira, if the populists should nominate yellow dog, what is there in the nom- ination of the so-called party to make me march up under the pop and crack of the party whip? am not going to do it. don't have to do it. will vote for whom please. Iwon't vote for any man when don't indorse his personal life, don't care what party nominate him, don't care how much be tabooed and guyed by a subsidized press, or politic- al office seeker, or ward politician.
 am free, white, and twenty-one. If were free, colored, and forty would stand on the same platform and make my ballot the best expression could of my desire and my principles.
 When the day comes at the ballot when every candidate knows he stands upon his merits, as an honest, upright, true man, and not upon the crack of the party whip forcing voters to cast their ballots for him, then the day will come when no rascal will run for office and no scoundrel will be nominated by any party.
 Have parties if you will, and let every party know that each candidate stands upon his merits as man of integrity and uprightness, and that they cannot force the intelligent, honest voter of this country to swerve hairs breadth from his conviction of right
 The model voter regards the ballot in his hands as the most sacred trust committed to him by any government. His ballot counts one in the interest of purity and manhood, or counts one in