The Van Buren press., 1897-12-18
The Patriots Of America.

| FROM tnt Nauonai bctuocfdI
An election is to occur in the order of
the Patriots of America on the second
Tuesday in January, to determine the
the relative Importance of certain
national questions in the judgment of
the members voting.
While the order does not claim very
large membership, yet 1t is widely
scattered. being, we are informed, in
about every state and territory in the
| Union and the result of the vote will
be good indication rs to whether the
financial question is to remain the lead
ing issue. 1t is claimed by the oppo.
nents of .'16 to T. that it is dying out,
and will soon disappear as live issue
this, however, has been predicted
before with disappointments to the
prophets. The vote among the Patriots
will be a sample vote, and very fair
one, We should Judge, representing the
six and a half million voters who last
year voted for Mr.. Bryan; and for this
reason 1t will be interesting to note the
result.
An interesting feature of the vote to
be taken is, that among the ten ques
tions submitted, are several that repre-
sent the various reform elements, such
AS that of the "single takers, >
socialism, 'greenback, and
other questions that will be recognized
by their different followers as important
to them, thus giving each class an
opportunity to show the popularity of
its measure with the people. The
financial men cannot afford to have
their question side tracked, if it is to
remain before the people, for paper of
such wide circulation as the Patriots
Bulletin. that represents the order, will
spread the result Of the voting to all
parts Of the country. II is in like
manner an unusual opportunity for
those representing other reforms 10
bring them 70 the front snd forge them
TO first place. if they can.
The halo; is ingenious in being SO
arranged as TO permit Of one voting
yes on several questions, and then
numbering them in the order Of import
Anoe they are regarded by the voter.
So that. by voting for what one might
regard as leading proposition, the
others TO which be is favorable. are
not smothered out Of sight, but an
opportunity is given to classify them in
their order of Importance.
The greatest interest, however, will
hinge on what question is first in i'm
portanee in the minds of the people
1t would be we'll for the republic if
such elections were frequent, as they
would tend to setting the people to
studying questions of national policy
instead of voting in partisan way for
men and parties. 1t would act as an
educator, and people would become en-
lightened on vital questions so necessary
10 free government. There is a growing
sentiment that questions of national
policy should be separated from partisan
politics and submitted to the judgment
Of the voters; and elections of the
character the Patriot Order is sub
mitting TO the people will do much
toward bringing this subject before the
country. No republic can long survive
where the people lapse into apathy and
are uneducated on what makes and un-
makes republics. The election in Jsnu-
sry is the first Of its kind in the United
States, and has much significance aside
from an important bearing it will have
on the congressional campaign issue of
that year, as well rs that Of 1900.