The San Francisco call., 1896-06-06
They Will Work With the Old
Parties and Not Start a
New One.
IMPORTANCE OF PRIMARIES.
New Ideas Advanced Regarding the
EnfranchiSement of
Women.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALL
90S Broadway. June 5,

gent citizens.
Giles H. Gray of the National Municipal
League and ex-president of the Oakland
Municipal League has outlined very clearly
the length to which an Endeavorer may
go in his avocation as q good citizen. At
the first rally held last night at the First
Presbyterian Church he outlined what is
really the platform on which the organ
ization will stand and make itself felt in
the Campaign.
After detailed account of the workings
of politics from caucus through primaries,
county and State conventions TO nomina-
tions and elections he closed with the
declaration of principles which will stand
as guide for years to come. He said:
The Christian Endeavor societies can gather
and disseminate information upon the politi-
cal questions of the day. They can procure
and slim ulate discussion of the topics which
should interest voters. They can find some
of our educated citizens and induce them to
explain to those of US who have not the time
and ability to gather the information neces-
sary to understand what is meant by tariff for
protection and tariff for revenue What is the
silver question, or free coinage OF silver, or
silver 16 to 1? What is equal suffrage? What
is prohibition? Why is 1T best 10 support the
Republican party at the coming eleet1onf
and various other subjects which will enable
the voter, who desires 10 vote so, TO vote as a
good citizen should.
These are questions and subjects upon which
every voter in California should be informed
before the next election, and this is the infor-
nation which every good citizen would like to
have.
In municipal elections the question of tariff,
free silver, suffrage or the like, which tend to
form State or National parties. need not be
considered, and the preference Of candidates
is often based upon local issues, and then the
personal character or the personal popularity
of the candidates can be safely taken as a guide
for the voter; but in all State and National
elections the vote should be for the candida te
representing the principles or platform which
the voter believes to be right and best for the
general good of the State or United States.
The most popular man is not always the man
who will support the principles OF government
which will bring the greatest prosperity to the
people.
The citizen upon whom the right to vote is
cast is under obligations to qualify himself TO
vote intelligently and to inform himself unon
the political issues OF the times, so that he can
vote correctly, and for the best good of his
fellow-citiZens who cannotvote, and for whom
he is intrusted to cast the ballot; and it is his
duty and obligation to give as much time and
labor to the subject as may be necessary to
perform his duty as a good citizen. The vote
is a trust which must be performed to the best
OF the voters ability Competency has moth
ing to do with the obligation to vote; many a
boy of 1S is better qualified to vote intelli-
gently t1an many voters AT Az, DuL the ODIg6-
ton is not cast uponlhim
If hereafter the law should be changed and
both male and female citizens are made voters,
the same obligation will be placed upon the
woman citizen, and she, good citizen, will
be obliged to assume the duty, and will not be
at liberty to neglect il any more than the male
voters should do so now.
If the law says woman may vote, she must
vote, and not only must she vote but she mus t
acquaint herself with public questions and be
prepared to vote upon them independently
and intelligently. We have already too many
selfish, Indifferent and unintelligent voters !;
too many men who might exercise a great in
huence on the votes of others, but who never
vote.
primary elections and political conventions,
who will care for the work which they are now
doing SO aeceptably? Who will care for the
family, the home, the schools, the church, the
Christian Endeavor societies and social func-
tions? Are these to be neglected or abandoned
by women?
Whoever are intrusted with the ballot, they
should exercise the trust; every voter, male
or female should be compelled to vote, both at
the primaries and at the elections. In other
matters, trustees are compelled TO execute
their trusts, and as every voter is a trustee OF
the vote OF large number Of citizens and
others who cannot vote he or she should not
be allowed to neglect his or her trust. Every
vote not deposited is lost, and by lis absence.
the opposition is strengthened, and non-voters
are deprived Of their right OF representation,
just the same as if their Droperty had been
destroyed.
In State or National politics do not attempt
to form new political party under the
auspices of the Christian Endeayor nor make
a ticket by selecting men from each of the ex-
listing party nominations. Rather INSTRUCT the
voter SO that he can vote inteligently, and let
him vote according to his own judgment and
conscience.
The Christian Endeavor societies have done
good work ON similar lines; they. have aided
to procure the purity of election laws, the
closing of poolrooms and gambling places,
the closing on Sunday OF saloons In some places,
the prohibition of the sale of tobacco to
minors, and now why not take hold of the
matter of election?
The great danger is that the vote of the bet
ter element among the voters, and which the
Christian Endeavorers are likely to reach, will
divide themselves up into small parties, such
as local option, Sunday closing, high licenses,
etc. each representing some new reform or
ism, and each calling itself party and as
suming distinct name, and neither COM
mandlng votes sufficient to elect anybody, and
by Withdrawing g votes t y, IRON rom the them main and
The baser element among the voters are sure
to un ite and vote blindly in one direction, as
the bosses should dictate, and in that manner
defeat the divided strength of their opponents.
In union there is strength, and the bosses
know it, and our good citizens often forgeti il.
Now this being so, what are the Christian
Endeavorers to do? President Clark of the
Twelfth International Christian Endeavor
Convention, held in Montreal in July 1893
told the Endeavorers what to do in the follow
ing words. "GuluVdbe ldTSeT anu more III
teiligent spirit of patriotism and Christian
citizenship"
How shall this be done? By joining, as
society, some one political party? Not unless
we know some party that embraces all the
saints and none OF the rascals; or that is al
ways right and never wrong But whether
YOU are Democrat or Republican, or a
third party man or Populist, it can be done
by bringing your vote and your influence to
the test of the Christian Endeavor pledge.
You have promised in that TO do whatever
he (God) would like to have you do; then vote
as he would like to have you vote; then you
will not knowingly vote for bad man or
bad measure and if need be you will sacrifice
your party rather than your principle.
When politicians realize that men OF princi-
pie are watching their nominations they will
not dare to put up bad man for your suffrage,
for they will realize that there is new moral
force in this country that must be reckoned
with. Go to the primaries OF your party and
take your Christian Endeavor pledge with you.
Go to the caucus, get into the Legislature; {;
stand for Congress; but when you get there,
for God and church and your country, do what