The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-10-25
A GOOD TEXT.

Every Democrat should make up his
mind now land let it remain made up to
go to the polls and vote on election day
for the full Democratic ticket" remarks
ne Dothan Home Journal, and The
| Advertiser desires to emphasize and en-
plify the statement a little. The next
election will determine whether we are
to have fair elections in Alabama and
| whether the best citizens are to take
part in politics and thus assist in secdr-
ing not only honest elections. but good
officials and good government. As mat
ter of fact the two are dependent to
a great extent on each other.
So far as our information extends, the
various officials throughout the State
Of elections have selected good .1en. The
county officials seem determined that no
blame shall attach to them If the elections
are not properly conducted and to that
end they have named good citizens as
managers and returning officers in all
the counties.
That is right and proper, and now it is
incumbent on the appointees to attend
at the voting places and perform the
duties for which they have been selected,
inconvenience in some cases, but 1t is
one of the penalties of citizenship that.
good men should bear cheerfuily. An
election is really an important matter,
and when a good and upright citizen is
selected as one to whom the people will
look for fairness and honesty at the
polls he should perform that duty even
at some personal loss and inconvenience.
otherwise a vacancy on the board may be
filled by a man who gets on, Or is put on,
for the purpose of assuring ,unfairness.
Then the county officials are untustly
censured and suspicion is cast on the re-
suit of the election. That is wrong,
and the good men who are selected should
attend and do their duty! ~,
But the duty devolving on the voters IS
none the less important. How tften CO
we hear good men declare that they will
have nothing to do with politics because
dirty methods prevail in selecting and
electing candidates? Who are to blame
If this Is true? Are we to believe that
a majority of our people are dishonest?
If not, how do they control our politics.
II they really do it? BY the simple and
easy method of turning out at primaries
and elections while the good citizens re-
main at home. We do not at all believe
that dishonest tricksters compose ma
jority of the people of Alabama. We do
believe that the really good and we'll
meaning citizens can control all our cleo
tons If they will. and that II they do
not they shirk a solemn duty.
The man who voluntarily refuses to
take any part in elections has not a
shadow of right to complain if we have
incompetent men to make our laws or
bad men to execute them. The man who
will have nothing to do with selecting
law makers and officials is estopped from
criticising their acts or their failings. He
has by his own indifference or careless
ness put a lock on his hips and should
not undertake to loose it.
We want to have an absolutely fair
and honest election in November. The
Democratic Party has promised it and
has given the people Constitution which
deaves no excuse for dishonesty. We re-
peat that we want a fair election and
1--we say without hesitation or mental re-
servation that we want due punishment
melted out to any and all without regard
to race, color or previous condition." who
are guilty of any voluntary wrong at
the polls. Let the election not only be
fair, but let 1t be known that it is fair,
so that there may be no shadow or faint
OF fraud on the title Of any man to his
| office.
| And TO secure that end the good men
of the State must do their duty and see
| that others do it.