The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1904-10-28

@OO0 w. ~ 49,
natural for both of the great political
parties to make a maximum effort to in
6uence the first vote of the young men
of the country. The young mar 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.
It is not always easy to reckon the
strength Of this vote accurately, hence
Il offers a 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 II
and 20, inclusive, as $685. O1. In other
words, in round numbers, three million
voters. These young men being at that
age at that time, are all now eligible to
cast their first vote for President. In
addition, many thousand young men as
emigrants have become citizens of the
United States since that time. OF course
q number have also died. 1t may not be
very far wrong to conclude that there are
safely between three and three and a
haf million first voters now in the Unit
Cd States.
or course, there is no accurate way OF
knowing just how these votes are pro-
rated to the different States. 1t is doubt
less true that the safely Democratic
States and the safely Republican States
have something OF a similar quota, and
10 that extent, of course, the votes in
the electoral college would not be infu-
enced either way, but how about the
effect Of the first voters in the doubtful
States? Past experience shows that in
these States an increased suffrage in IA
vor Of one party or the other from !
% A per cent. may change the results
and mark defeat or victory for either
party.
II ID this first vote in doubtful States
that ID Of supreme Importance. How will
u be cast? For Democracy, negation-
! policy destructive OF all that is good
and obstructive Of, all that is progressive,
OF shall it be for Roosevelt and Fair
banks, who represent the great cOnstruc-
4ive business league in America known
- the Republican party?
0ituation and Young Mans Duty.
IL it should so happen that two fam
flies OF distinction should seem to lay
equal claim to any young man, and if 1t
should be left to him to decide as to
which one he might cast his lot with, he
would naturally look into the history of
both families in~telligently, diligently and
thoroughly. His pride and self-interest
would compel him to cast his lot with
che one that showed the highest self
respect, the greatest personal and ma
1ional pride, the best ability for doing
things that ought to be done, calculated
- beneft mankind; and above all. the
- that looked to the future with hope
and aspiration, with a view OF meeting
I'll new conditions nobly and complete
y ~ they might arise.
Iris the duty Of every young Ameri.
an to perform this duty thoroughly in
connection with the two great political
parfles that are Asking has first vote on
The issnes Of the present campaign. He
win ind the work not only instructive,
but Il ~ investigates the records thor
op&hly. there cannot We 4 shadow OF q
doubt IN his mind, after he has finished
~ Investigation, a to which way his
dirty may lie. He should divest himself
u hereditary bias and inclinations. he
G1ould attempt to lit himself out Of his
immediate or present surroundings and
1fvorce himself, for the nonce. from AL
0ocJal u family ties and investigate the
thing for himself.
Harting 81 the ways.
This duty II one Of the w~eightieet
chat the generations Of progress and the
Hood Of his ancestors have made in
euubent upon him. If he enters upon it
wrongly, he not only stuItiies his "
asefulness and injects 1 germ Of partial
failure into his own life, but he fails most
miserably to measure up to one Of the
highest opportunities ever ~vouchsafed to
mankind. It is now too late in this pro-
gressive age to allow personal preference
~ any inclination OF our ancestors or
Immediate forefathers to influence us in
work which will affect the destinies
= 0ankind. It is q sacred privilege and
nct which affects nearly q hundred
1llllion people. = there not cause for
Ih1n ~ Americans, a. the inheritors
" ~ MT ~ glorious and grand in the
hiobory of ~ greatest Republic on earth,
whnt can ! young man find in the Demo-
rTNtic partyss record that would appeal
- ~ pride, his patriotism, his sense OF
4ufy Or his idea of intelligent citizenship?
Al any sane and conservatively-minded
young man has to do q to simply COM
pars the records OF the two parties for
he last halt century. What does he
1nd3 He finds that at every turn one
- been progressive, constructive, patri-
e4c; working for thes general interests
~ welfare Of humanity. The other
Aan been = party Of negation, predicting
ea14q !, crying despair and pr0phesying
N<eek - ruin Of the government; stand
4nG nn4eoG3nly and D~erpetually as an oh