The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1904-09-29
rHROwING VOTES AWAY

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rHROWING VOTES AWAY
Don't throw your vote away is the
new catch phrase OF plutocracy. CHE
of two candidates, Roosevelt or Park
er will certainly be elected they say,
"and if you vote for any other candi-
date, you throw your vote away" Such
an argument is directed to the man
who never thinks. for if stated seri-
ously to a man who does think, 1T
would be met by burst of denuncia-
ton.
In the first place, it presumes that
the man addressed has no principles
whatever, that he is only actuatcd by
a motive to be on the winning side
and cast his vote with that party that
has the best chance of winning, even
il winning means the destruction OF
everything he holds to be honest, up
right and for the good of his country
1t comes at a man with the pfesImp-
ton that he is willing to cast his vote
for a system that he believes would
result in suffering, toll and baldships
for the many, if only when the votes
are counted he finds that his vote was
among the unknown millions who vot-
ed for the winning side. 1t assumes
that the voter so addressed has no de-
sire to better his own condition, or
leave country for his children where
they may enjoy peace and comfort
no higher aspiration while OIL this
earth, no greater legacy to leave the
world than to have IL recorded oil him
that he was always with the majc--..ty
though that majority made saves Of
him and his, and substituted pldtoc-
racy for the free republic that the sac
rifice and blood of his ancestors left
to him. There is nothing that can be
said to an honest man that would so
enrage him as such proposition The
man who makes such an argument is
as base low and vile as human can
get. -
The honest man wants to say to his
children when he comes to pull the
green robe of mother earth over him
and sleep the sleep that knows no
waking here below: Il never cast
my vote or gave my influence fer a
policy I believed was wrong. l stood
always, even If had to stand alone,
for what I believed was right. Though
the way seemed broad and strewn with
flowers and the multitudes walked
therein, / chose the straight and mar
row way, though sometimes there were
few who found It,"
That is the kind of record that
an honest man would want to make
He would not want it recorded Oh his
tomb that he always followed the
crowd, he never had any principles of
his own, he was so afraid of .tL1 Ow-
ing his vote away" he would never
stand up and be counted among those
who protested against wrong. He new
er asked If a thing was right Or WICLg.
All he wanted to know was whether
he was going to be with the winning
sl1o ornot.
Whenever sssan comes to you with
that catch PHI ase about ln.sew,es your
vote away, that is the sort OF ,rea-
ture he takes you to be. If you are a
man" you will resent it, III he is
of your size and you knock him down
for so grossly insulting you, the re-
cording angel will look the other way
while the job is being done, fol- no
greater insult could be offered YOU
it may not be right to knock man
down who calls you liar or a thief,
but in the case where man tells you
that you are willing to turn traitor
TO your country your wife and your
children, just FOR the sake OF win
ming" the case is different.
In whatever state you live go tc the
polls and cast your vote for the pco-
pies party electoral ticket Ii you be-
lieve the platform represents your
principles. DO IL ii YOU are the only
man In your county. Then go home
and have your little daughter sins the
old sunday school hymn, Dare TO
stand alone" III you do, you will be
proud Of the act as long as you live.
INDICATED