St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1904-11-30

those who control the executive, IegisIa-
tive. and judicial departments are di-
rectly or indit ectly selected and given
right to be and act. Presl Tents, Senators,
members of Congress, Judges, Courts,
Generals, Adm:rals, Governors, Mar
shalls, Sheriffs, State Legislators, and all
who exercise governmental functions,
are either directly or indirectly made by
these. At their will, billions OF money,
expended in maintaining the state and
national governments the army the navy,
the executive departments, the legislative
departments, the judicial departments,
in the nation and in the several states, is
directly or Indirectly taken from the
citizens and appropriated to the main
tenance Of the liberties, persons and
property OF citizens of every. grade and
class. All these officers in the many de-
subordinate servants and trustees. But
citizens are sovereigns, and exercise
sovereignty through their representative
trustees, the voters. The duties and re-
sponsibilities OF these representative
trustees are immense. When traced to
its source sovereign power rests in all
citizens. They are the bene6ciaries of
this trust. Hence they, as well as their
trustees, should be instructed in the ma
ture of the oath OF the freeman, of the
duties and responsibilities imposed by it.
1t is therefore highly appropriate that it
should be made the duty of the public
schools to educate the females as well as
the males, to educate all citizens in the
duties and responsibilities OF the voters.
Thy commit the sovereignty of the
states and nation in trust to them to be
welded tor all citizens and for their pro-
lection. Every trustee is held respon-
sible and charged with faithful, honest
discharge OF the du les OF his trust. The
greater the interests involved and to be
aft cited bv the proper discharge of the
trust, the more intelligence, thought and
care the trustee is required to exercise.
If every citizen voter is intelligent, hon.
est, and faithful in the discharge OF the
duties and responsibilities OF the trust.
with the care and Judgment required by
the language and spirit of his oath under
his pledge to his Maker, just and equit-
able will be the consti, utIons and laws
of the land; honest and faithful will be
their administration; firm and stable
will be the government, and happy the
condition OF its cit1zsns. [ have occupied
important and responsible positions, but
never one where the duties and response
bilities were SO important. so wide reach
ing in results, as that which / occupy as
a citizen voter In that alone help to
WELD sovereign power for the welfare or
woe OF every u, Zen of this great nation.
IF the citizen voters are intelligent, hon-
est, and faithful, discharge the duties and
Obligations oftheir trust, conscientiously,
to the best of their abilities. according to
the spirit and language of the oath, they
will seek out and select to fill the Offices
IN the executive, IL gislatlve and Judicial
departments of the states and nation,
men OF like qualities, and all administra-
tive Offices will be considered and held to
be positions ct trust, to be conducted
severally, tor the highest, best interest of
all citizens, the bene6ciaries of the trust.
For If the sources OF the stream are pure
and uncorrupted, the waters that flow
therefrom will be pure also.
These views suggest that more care,
more guards should be thrown round the
selection and qualifca lions OF citizen vo-
tiers. If because OF other business, or be-
cause they think the matter under
consideration will go right without
them, or because they think politics
to mix in the foul streams
flowing therein, they decline to appear
at the polls and cast their ballots,
why should they not for a time. longer
or shorter, at least be deprived Of the
right to use the elective franchise? If
they become criminals after beng quail
fed as voters. convicted of crimes above
misdemeanors, why should they not for
teit forever the right to vote? Only those
who will discharge the duties of trust
should be continued in the trust. Ia f.
nancial matters a dishonest trustee is
discharged at once. Why should not
the dishonest voter, dishonest in the dis
charge OF the trust imposed by the free
mans oath, be deprived of the elective
franchise? AS rule about one-fifrh of
those to VIII the elective franchise is
given, with all the efforts put forth to
bring them to the polls, remain absent
thertfrom. The policy Of the state and
nation may be determined by their alb
sence. Twice in the Senate, in the win
tiers of 1899 and 1900, the policy of the
nation in very important matters was
determined by single vote or bare
majority. 1t is not improbable that one
or more of the Senators which made the
majority owed his election to the neglect
or to the vote of one or more of the citi-
zen voters. No voter should be allowed
to neglect to discharge his duty in this
respect, more than he should be allowed
when in the army, to run away when
battle is imminent. What shall be said
of the Esaus among the citizen voters,
clothed with power to WELD the sOve-
relgnity of states and nation, who sell
their and the nations birthright for pal
try gold, or for personal favor even?
Evidently, both the giver and taker of
bride in such case, in whatever form, and
no viewer covered or indirectly given. are
atrocious traitors, for both strike blow
at the life OF states and nation and at the
highest welfare of the citizens thereof.
Thus briefly and imperfectly have out
lined some views in regard to the nature
and sanctity of the oath, OF its Importance
as related to good citizenship; have sug-
gested some reforms to strengthen both
its sanctity and render it more productive
OF the highest welfare of all citizens of
this great nation. leave the suggestions
for your consideration.
W;JIio,c Dafnrn.af;on