The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-09-07
To First Voters.

Il gble this year to cast their first
vote for president OF the United
States. They will cast it for McKin-
ley or Bryan. Very few will care to
throw 1t away on a third party nomi-
nee. Four years ago President McKin-
ley had a plurality Of 60l,s54, which
was next to the largest ever polled;
yet it was not one-flfth Of the first
voters vote. This vote, If largely
massed for either Mckinley or Bryan,
will decide the election. Why should
it be given to Mckinley and withheld
from Bryan?
We need not in answering this ques-
tion traverse the general field OF argu-
ment for that will be done on many
occasions ere the polls close having in
view voters Of all ages. The young
man and the old man are equally in
terested in sound currency and a pro-
tective tariff, those twin pillars of
business prosperity which make pos
sible the encouragement of the one
and make secure the savings of the
other. They are equally interested in
the enlargement Of commerce, in the
multiplication of industries, in short
in the maintenance of the fortunate
economic and social conditions now
prevalent, thanks very largely to the
beneficent and conserva tive principles
of Republican administration.
But it is the young man who is more
especially interested In the standing of
10 nf 40
earth; who is eager to see her prestige
rated highly on foreign SOIL who
wishes to be able to point with pride,
when a sojourner in foreign lands, to
the flag of the land of his nativity and
to feel that his children may have a
civic birthright of which they need
never feel ashamed. To the old man.
tottering to the grave this is not nee
essarily a matter of Indifference, but
he thinks less of such things: his
thoughts are fixed elsewhere. The old
man, with vitality ebbing, is inclined
TO be cautious, timid, often pessimistic.
He looks back to the days of his youth,
when the pulses were active and the
heart was hopeful, and those times
Seem better to him than the times
and conditions around him now. He
idealizes the past and undervalues the
present. He does not think it possible
for the young men who were recently
only children ridden upon his knee ia
take hold of the complex problems OF
today as he in his young manhood
tackled the difficulties Of an earlier
generation: and so his tone becomes
apprehensive, over critical and fearful
On physical grounds we can under.
stand why perhaps a majority of oul
elders are conscientiously doubtful OF
or opposed to the new steps toward
larger and broader national life takcr
under the expansive policy of Presi
dent Mckinley. 1t Is in the nature o.
things that some of them should Oh
ject to Innovations: that their prefer
ence should be registered for peace
quiet and isolation, even though at :
sacrifice OF prestige, dignity or duty
But on no such grounds could we ex
pect the stalwart youth OF our lanc
to espouse a course of crawfishing on
of responsibilities. They live with tn
world before them. They have career
to make; opportunities to pursue, tn
pride and strength OF vigorous man
hood to exercise and vindlcate. Ar
they to follow Bryan in a policy o
flag-hauling and scuttle? Do they wan
to CLOSE the door of American oppor
tunity in the Orient and hand the ke
over TO "a ,cinnamon-faced adventure
like Aguinaldo?
The young men of the countr
should feel a peculiar interest in tn
results of this campaign. If the seed
of folly are to be sown it is they VIII
must reap the fruits. If this nation
to listen to evil counsels, and depaI
from the path of duty and progres
that It has kept for over a hundre
years, If II is to adopt policy OF re
action, II II is TO stoop to dishonor,
it is 10 pass into the throes OF elias
warfare, the baneful results will IA
with greatest weight, not upon tn
present, but upon the generations thu
are TO come. The vast army OF youn
men who are to cast their first pres
Dental votes this fall should therefor
take an active part in the strugg
now in progress. TO secure this resu
the First Voters Republican Nations
League has been formed. and fs el
gagged in organizing the first voters
all the states. The plan of the woI
Is as follows; Each local league. whe
organized, shall arrange for reguli
meetings, appoint committee {
membership whose duty 1t shall be
make a systematic canvass Of the fir