Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1900-10-11
Fathers Advice to His Son.

My DEAR Boy: You say that Won
are tired Of working for old man
skinner, and are thinking Of going
West this fall. where wages are
higher. You ask what | think about
it.
Well. have no objection to YOUR
going West. but l don't want you to
90 till after the election. This is the
first time in your life that YOU ever
had an opportunity 10 exercise your
right as an American citizen in vot-
ing for President OF tile United
States. l don't want YOU 10 lose
your vote for the following reasons:
l. The only possible chance OF the
election OF Bryan comes from the
over-contidence of Republicans. 1t
makes me sad to hear a man say, .'Oh,
Mckinley is going to be elected, any,.
how There is no danger. | have
arrangements made TO be in Califor-
MIA in November, but you won't need
my vote
Especially do resret to hear talk
of this kidd among some of the rail
road men. Ii any class of men ought
to come up unanimously to the sup
port of Mckinley and the Repu blican
party, that class is composed of the
rail- Dad men of this country Four
wears ago there were thousands of
cars sidetracked, no building and
but little repairing going on, and
general Ssagnation in the railroad
business. TfNow new roads, new road
beds, new cars, the roads crowded
with trains, full time and better pay
bless the railroad men of this country.
And it vexes me to hear a railroad
man say, Il would have to lay off
day to vote, and guess I'll not do
that. There will be plenty to elect
Mckinley without me. = Well, if by
any possibility Mckinley should be
defeated, just such men as that will
have themselves to blame.
,. No American voter has any
right to stay away from the polls or
to lose his vote if it possibly can be
avoided.
My son, you are one of the sover-
eigns of the United States, and YOU
have no more right to neglect the
duties pertaining to your high call
ing than the Emperor of Germany
has to neglect the government of that
mighty empire. To vote is a matter
of inestimable privilege. and also
matter of earnest, conscientious duty.
Two years ago you enlisted to fight
for your country as a soldier, but the
surgeon turned you down and would
not let you go. | sympathized with
you in the bitterness OF your disap-
pointment. | knew that love of
country led you to enlist, and | was
proud because YOU wanted to 90.
And thing that the surgeon was
little ver-particular. You would
have made a good soldier. But |
want you to realize that you serve
your country as truly when YOU cast
an honest ballot as if YOU were SOL
der in the field. Perhaps you can do
more good with the ballot than you
could with the gun. Your country
did not seem to need you as a soldier,
but your country does need you in
the realm of citizenship.
3. No matter how long you may
live, YOU will never have an oppor-
tunity to vote for better men than
this year. We have a magnificent
ticket. Mckinley and Roosevelt,
What superb com bination. They
are both statesmen and both heroes,
one of the great civil war and one of
the war for the deliverance of Cuba.
Mckinley, steady, earnest, thought
full, calm, kind and faithful; Roose-
welt, impetuouS but efficient, brave
and dashing. with both moral and
physical courage. Was there ever
better ticket or one which more
thoroughly commands the respect,
the confidence ard the affection Of
the American people?
If you don't stay and vote You will
be sorry for it twenty years from
now. Make some sacrifice for your
countrys sake. Oh, my boy, YOU
must not 90 until the election is over.
And when in November the ballots
fall
AS snow-fakes fan upon the sod
And execute the freeman will
As lightning does the Wiu Of God.
Cast your vote and then sleep
sweetly that night with a sense OF
duty faithfully done.
Vnr-t, = .Trtrr