Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-03-05
THE SOVEREIGN DUTY.
Preparation For Intelligently
Casting a First Vote.
ISSUES SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED

The Great Responsibility of the
Voter In Close Stafes-YOunE Men
Must De Made to Understand That
the Value of a Vote Is Beyond
Computation.
Young men who will east their first
vote at the coming national election
should investigate the fundamental
doctrines that divide the two great po-
litical parties and the issues upon
which the campaign will be decided
III this way they can arrive at the
proper way to perform the highest pre-
rogative of an American citizen. The
greatest right in Il democratic republic
like ours is represented by the bal
lot. The poor man and the rich one, the
first voter and the most accomplished
statesman in the land, are all equal be-
fore the law and are sovereign voters.
Not only is the act of voting the high
est political function, but it involves
the greatest responsibility. y few
votes often turn the scale in close
states and political districts, so no vOt-
er must imagine that his ballot is not
of consequence, as he may decide is
sues of tranScendent Importance and
elect candidates for the highest offices
who will have the executive power
placed in their hands. After the cleo
ton is over the voters have transfer
red their power to those whom they
have elected to represent them, and the
individual voter is pOwerleSS, until the
next election occurs.
Among the great issues that will be
decided at the coming national cleo
ton is one that should appeal to young
voters with irresistible force. The
question of the protective tariff and
the control of the trusts affects the
pOcketbOok of every voter and must
be decided as interest dictates. Other
issues may be settled upon patriotic or
humanitarian grounds, but the indi-
rect taxation of the tariff and it's ae-
knowledged fostering of trusts are fast
breaking down that good old Demo
cratic doctrine of equal rights to all
and special privileges to none"
If the young voter is the son of
trust magnate or one who has through
some special privilege become Il mo-
nopolist, he may be expected to follow
in his fathers footsteps and vote to
continue a system that allows enOr-
nous fortunes to be created at the ex-
pense of the great majority.
But where there is one such child of
fortune there are thousands who are
children of the poor, and the young
voter who has nothing or but little but
his own CXertions to provide living for
himself and those dependent upon him
must view with dismay trust prices and
increased cost of living How much
more must it set him thinking if he
finds the avenues of employment less
ening and the standard of wages de-
creasing in proportion to the increased
cost of living.
Does any well Informed young man
doubt that the trust and monopoly
breeding tariff is an issue that is of the
utmost interest for him to investigate
and see how it affects his prospects in
life? Does he see n fair share of the
vast wealth of the country flowing to
those who create it or does he notice
enormous prosperity to corporations
and the comparatively few individuals
who control them?
The position of the two great parties
on economic questions must be an is
sue and perhaps paramount in the alb
sence of war or other great events that
so str mems souls that they forget
their pOcketbOoks. The young voter
must to vote with Intelligence investi-
gate the evidence on both sides and de-
eide who will represent him most effec-
tuaIly in securing equal rights" and
20
Ing or keeping special privileges"
There must be no objection to riches
or the rich man if his riches have been
obtained equitably. Neither must Dives
be wOrshiped. and above all the young
voter must keep alta safe distance the
vote buyer. Your vote is as valuable
MS that of Rockefeller, it counts for as
much. and no money value can be
placed upon it. Its value is beyond