The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-11-02
SATURDAY. NOVEMBER 2, 1901.
A PREACHERS WARNING.


guished Northern clergyman some time
ago, III we go to perdition, either Us =
community or as a nation, 1t will be
because you and and others like US
are too fine or 100 lazy or too self
{ seeking to care to make the protest
4 and do the wcrk and be the men and
women who will prevent -
That is a true saying and we would
bring 1t home to the people Of flr-
ginia in this crisis and ask them TO
ponder il well. The people have the
power In their own hand, and IL there
s is bad government it is because the
people permit it. a great deal is said
s in this age about boss-ridden com
muniies and money-ridden commune
Hes and all that, but we say thattif::
there is bossism anywhere, it is be-
cause the people submit to it. Many
men are so busy with their own af-
fairs that they do not trouble them
selves much about government and
yet they complain as bitterly as any
when government is bad. Such men
IRE not good citizens, however good
they may be in other respects. The
good citizen is the man who recognizes
the responsibilities of citizenship and
the duties of citizenship and never
ing to enjoy the rights and privileges
nf citizenship without taking upon
himself any of its responsibilities and
burdens has not the proper sense Of
obligation.
One Of the first duties of citizenship
is to vote. The people of Virginia re-
gently called a Constitutional Conven-
lion mainly TO consider the question OF
suffrage, and great cutlery has BEEN
raised here and there lest under the
new plan some class OF citizens be dis
francnised. But it would appear FROM
the indifference that is manifested
here aud there that many citizens of
this State do not put a very high value
upon the voting privilege. The re-
turns show that thousands and tens
OF thousands Of men in Virginia fail
to cast q ballot on election-day even
in important elections. If these men
should be disfranchised they would
make a vigorous protest. but having
The right to vote they do not seem 10
attach much Importance 10 il. We say
that 1T Is the duty Of a citizen to vote
and 1t ought to be his pleasurcato do
so. It is q grand thing 10 be Il qualified
voter in grand Commonwealth like
Virginia, and every man ought TO feel
thrill Of pride when he goes to the
polls to cast an honest ballot.
Especially ought Democrats TO turn
out on next Tuesday and vote the
Democratic ticket 1t is certainly Il
most important election. for we are TO
choose a Governor. Il Lie,ltenant-Gos-
arnor, an Attorney General aud mem
bcrs of the General Assembly. We
ought to give the Democratic nominee
full vote aud a full majority by way
of showing our appreciation of the Of
flee aud of the man. We ought 10
show him tina. we attach great import
Sance TO this Office and expect him 10
discharge its duties faithfully. and the
best way to impress him is 10 register
q large vote.
This is no personal matter. The men
who have been nominated are the req
resentatires of the party. as they VIII
he the representatives Of the govern
lnert, and it is the duty Of the narty, i
duty which it owes itself. to vote its
full strength. 1t would be our duly
10 vote in this election even if the:c
We're no opposition OF formidable
character. We ought not only to ex:tt
Democracy, but we ought to register
our opposition to Republicanism. The
Republican party has always been IN
enemy of Virginia and has brought
us no good but always evil We 10
not want Republican rule in this Stale
and we ought to make that declaration
as emphatic as possible on election