Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-12-26
BLUFFToN, Iowa, Dec. II, 800.

Editor Plain DeQle1:-It is now pro-
posed to abolish annual elections and
make the same occur only once in two
years. This WILDE constitutional
change which can not be readily re-
traced, if adopted. Recently certain
a. b. Q. candidate (senatoriaD for the
highest honor within the gift of this
commonwealth advocated biennial
elections from stand point'of economy
penny wise) and longer calm be-
tween the disturbing evolutions of
politics pound foolish). Who wants
this change-the farmers, the mer-
chants, the Taxpayers, the people who
enjoy voting? No. In so answering 1
judge SO per cent of the citizens by my
own desire and pleasure take in the
exercise OF the elective franchise. The
meeting of old friends and-surely it
is only a day off, a holiday, and does
not come any too often. 1t would
seem more in harmony with the spirit
OF our government and it's institutions
TO declare it National holiday, ex-
empting every voter from any obliga-
tlon to labor except from choice. Oc-
curing as it does in the autumn season
The busiest for the farmer, yet few if
any complain or begrudge the time.
This is evidence of the fitness of the
institution as we enjoy it as to time
ana season not alone for this state but
for our big country with its various
conditions of climate and industrial
occupation. Then, too, there is the
campaign of education by the press
and the able statesmen for and
against questions Of public interest
enthusing, enlightening and directing
the freemens' vote. This kind of up
setting of business and disturbing
agency is worth the whole cost and
the real measure of it is we do not get
enough of it. There are some features
OF our elections that can be improved
but let the annual election stand.
Pardon me foroccupying your valuable
space and time and for saying that
herein are some ideas to your Howard
county readers as well as us Winnie
smokers. Yours truly,
JOHN E. MURTHA.
We most heartily endorse the views
OF Mr.. Murtha as expressed in the
foregoing communication We desire
to add to it the further reason in
favor of the sentiment of that article.
that the men who are the advance
agents in the movement he criticises
would, were it polite to take that
step, abolish elections altogether.
They hope to retain the opportunity
TO fleece the public ad hbittun, through
the apathy and Indifference of the
masses, and this they hope to create
by having elections by the people as
seldom as possible. Nothing is more
true than the statement that: "Eter-
nal vigilance is the price of liberty"
1t may come high, but if it is worth
the price, it can only be maintained
10y frequent appeals to the public at
the time of choosing the men who are
to make and execute their laws. Men
to-day, in all ranks, except the money
changers and those who live by levy
ing tribute on all the forms of in
dustry, are complaining and protest
ing about results, when they should be
denouncing the causes which have
produced them. Every result has
moving cause. The cause of trusts,
combinations and syndicates detri-
mental to the general welfare of
nearly all industrial occupations of
the common people is in comforting
upon the friends, advocates and
organizers of them the offices which
they control the political machinery
OF the nation, the existence of by these
destructive agencies is simply the
result. Remove the cause and you will
change the result.