The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-07-30


And thus We see that as DR.. Alexan-
der Mckenzie has we'll said: "There
are few duties 70 which man is more
firmly held by every consideration of
honor than ne is to the duty of vot-
ing. 1.-THE man is not willing to
vote, whatever the cost may be, his
place is notin republic. There are
countries to which he is we'll adapted.
IN Russia and Turkey he is not called
upon to vote, and the fewer his opin-
ions the greater the favor with which
ne is regarded. This is e republic, .
land Of freemen, where the duty of
government and the honor and oppor-
tunity of it are divided among the
oitizens." And If We are eelf.respeot-
ing, manly men we will discharge this
duty and endeavor to meet this re-.
sponsibility.
So much then for the duty of vot-
ing. We come now to oonaider as to
how we should cast our ballot. It
ought to be entirely unnecessary and
yet.it is Of prime importance, 60 say
that our votes should always be cast
honestly, seriously, conscientiously,
and With an eya--not to remuneration
or friendship or kinship-but with an
eye single to the good}of city, country,
State and nation. AS Bishop Potter
truly says: "We must ,cme back
again and again 70 the fact that organ
lied society in the form Of civil gov
ernment exists not for the
benefit of any one who administers it
whether he sits at the apex, in
the chair Of the president of the Uni
:ed States, or in the chair Of local
justice Of the peace, police or tax col
lector, but in order that he may serve
his fellowmen in relation Of service to
the State" That is fact too often
lost sight Of. And the man who votes
for another for public office simply he
is friend or blood relation and with
out duly considering his relative fit-
ness is an unworthy citizen and is
pursuing policy that will subvert
this and all other forms Of democratic
government. I am quite human
enough, my friends, to know how hard
it is to lay aside the claims of friend
ship and consanguinity in such mat
ters. but the true-hearted patriot will
do it. He must <do it, if he would
preserve our institutions of freedom,
for as the poet writes:
~, Freedom, dwell with knowledge; I
abide
With men whom dust of faction can
3 not blind
To the slow tracings of the Eternal
Mind.n a
The great and exemplary patriot, Geo.
Washington, applied this principle
throughout his public career. On one
occasion, just before his election as
president. it is said one Of his closest
friends applied for a government po-
sition. Washington's reply was:
"Should it be my fate to administer
the government will go to the chair
under 60 Encouragement of any kind
or nature whatever. And when in it
/ will, to the best Of my Judgment,
discharge the duties Of the Office with
that impartiality and zeal for the pub
lio good which ought never to suffer
connections of bloud or friendship to
have the least sway in the decisions
of public nature" There still lives
fresh and green in the hearts Of CO.
lumbia's people the memory Of Mayor
Rhett, who looked upon public Office
as public trust and discharged its
duties fearlessly and without regard
to personal relationships, and With
justice to all and special favors to
none. For this he was honored then
and his memory is honored and cher
lshed now.
This leads US naturally to the
thought that we should at all times
place in Office none out men Of charac-
ter. That, brethren, as our country
is now, is our greatest concern. The
safety Of the government, the welfare
of the people depend upon it. And
especially is that the great issue with
as to-day in our State. We all are
agreed on the fundamental principles
of democratic government. The aues-
ticn nov before ms is,3 what shall be
the character Of, the men Who. shall be
in control? Some Of our newspapers
have commented on the dullness of
our present campaign because thers is
no great hDwling. no spssial lsxcise1
ment growing o,,t Of faotionalism and