Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-10-26

As in the days Of Rome, the American
Republic to-day finds its young man
hood its most valuable asset. 1t is quite
natural for both Of the great political
parties to make maximum effort to IN
tuenee the first vote of the young men
Of the country The y0ung man is now
one of the most important and most
sought individuals in the Republic, 1t Is
not beyond the range of probability that
these first voters may hold the balance
of power and actually decide the com
ing election.
1t is not always easy 10 reckon the
strength Of this vote accurately. hence
1t offers fertile field for speculation.
The United States census of 1900 gives
the total male population of the United
States in 1900 between the ages Of Il
and -, inclusive, as 2.9J9,S0t In other
words. in round numbers. three million
voters These young men being at that
age at that time, are all now eligible to
east their first vote for President. III
addition. many thousand young men as
emigrants have become citizens of the
United States since that time. OF cOmse
a number have also died 1t may not b.
very far wrong to conclude that there are
safely between three and three and a
half million first voters now IN the Unit
ed States.
or course, there Is no accurate way Of
knowing Just how these votes are pro
rated 10 the different States. It is doubt
less true that the safely Democratic
States and the safely Republican States
have something of Il similar quota and
- that extent. Of course. the votes IN
the electoral college would not be inhu-
cnced either way. but how about the
effect Of the FIRST voters in the doubtful
States? Pa experience shows that in
these States an increased suffrage in IA
yor Of one party or the other from
- per cent may charge the results
aud mark defeat or victory for either
party.
1t is this first vote in doubtful States
that IS Of supreme importance. How VIII
it be east? For Democracy, negatiou-
policy destructive Of all that is good
anu obstructive Of all that is progressive
or shall it he for Roosevelt and FAIR
banks. who represent the great construc-
tive business league in America known
as the Republican party
Situation and Young Mans Duty.
II it should SO happen that two fam
HES Of distinction shoald seem 10 lay
equal claim TO any young man. AMI If 1t
should be left 90 him - decide as u
which one he might cast mis- lot with, he
would naturally look loco the history OF
both families iutelh-eutly, diligently and
thoroughly. His pride and seif-interest
would compel him To east his lot with
the one that showed the highest self
respect, the greatest personal and -
tional pride, the best ability for doing
things that ought 70 he done, calculated
20 benefit mankind; ana above all. the
one thar looked to the future with hope
and aspiration, with 4 view of meeting
I'll new conditions nobly and complete
ly as they might arise.
Ii is the duty of every young Amer.
can TO perform this duty thoroughly in
connection with the two great political
parties that are asking his first vote "a
the issues Of the present campaign. He
VIII find the work not only instructive,
tut If he investigates the records thor
oughly, there cannot e shadow of a
doubt in his mind, after he has finished
The investigation, as to which way his
duty may lie. He should djvest himself
OF hereditary bias and inchnai0nS, he
should attempt to lift himself out Of his
inm Adiate or present surroundings and
divorce himself. for the nonce, from all
so,lal or family ties and investigate the
thing for himself.
Parting of the Ways.
This duty is one of the weightiest
that the generations Of progress and the
blood OF HIS ancestors have made in
cunibeut upon him. If he enters upon il
wrongly, he not only stuhiiies his own
usefulness and injects germ of partial
failure into his own life but he fails mos,
miserab bly, TO measure up to one Of The
highest opportunities ever youchsafed "a
mankind. Ii is now too late in this pro,
gressive age to allow personal preference
or any inclination OF our ancestors Of
immediate forefathers TO influence US in
a work which will affect the destinie-
of mankind II is a sacred privilege and
an act which affects nearly a hundred
pausef
Then as Americans. as the inheritor,
of all thar is glorious and grand in thu
history of the greatest Republic on earth
what can young man find in the Demo
cratic party record that would appea
to his pride, his patriotism, his sense OF
duty or his idea Of intelligent citizenship
All any sane and ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
young man has to do is 10 simply com
pare the records of the two parties fol
the last half cen nry. What does h,
find? He finds that at every turn on,
has been progressive. constructive. patri
otto; working for the general interest,
and welfare of humanity. The other
has been a party of uesation. preditinl
calamity. crying despair and prophesyinl
wreck and ruin of the government; stand
ing uniformly aud perpetnally as an oh
stacle and obstruction 90 an measure,
calculated for the general good
Party of Action.
Some OF the Accomplishments Of tn,
Republican party may we'll ice contrast
ed with the aSiuiue acts and obstruction
tactics of the party az slavery. stat,
rights, secession, anti-rXpansiou, fret
TRAD, and free silver. From tae imwor
tai Lincoln 10 the illustrious Roosevelt
there is nothing but one long line OF bril-
liant achievements Of ;he Republican