The Teton peak. [volume] (St. Anthony, Idaho) 1899-1904, 1904-10-27

hood its most valuable asset. II Is quite
natural for both of the great political
parties to make a maximum effort to in
huence the first vote of the young men
of the country. The young man is now
one Of the most important and most
sought individuals in the Republic. 1t is
not beyond the range of proba bility that
these first voters may hold the balance
of power and actually decide the com
ing election.
1t is not always easy to reckon the
siren 9Th of this vote accurately, hence
It 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 2.959,S0l 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
half 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
to that extent, of course, the votes in
the electoral college would not be infu
enced either way. but how about TIE
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 !
70 per cent. may change the results
and mark defeat or victory for either
party.
II Is this first vote in doubtful States
that is Of supreme Importance. How will
4 be cast? For Democracy, negation-
q policy destructive of all that is good
and obstructive Of all that is progressive.
Or shall it be for Roosevelt and Fair
banks, who represent the great construc-
dive business league in America known
a. the Republican party?
Situation and Young Mans Duty.
II 1t should so happen that two fam
HES Of distinction should seem to lay
equal claim to any young man, and If it
sho lid 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 intelligently, diligently and
thoroughly. His pride and self-interest
would compel him to east his lot with
the one that showed the highest self
respect, the greatest persona. and ma
uonal pride, the best ability for doing
things that ought to be done, calculated
to benefit mankind; and above all. the
one that looked to the future with hope
and aspiration, with view of meeting
ell new conditions nobly and complete
" as they might arise.
II is the duty of every young Ameri.
can to perform this duty thoroughly in
connection with the two great political
parties that are asking has first vote on
the issues of the present campaign. he
will find the work not only instructive
but if he investigates the records thor
oughly, there cannot a shadow of q
doubt in his mind, after he has finished
the investigation, as to which way It's
duty may lie. He should divest himself
Of hereditary bias and inclinations. he
should attempt to lift himself out of his
Immediate or present surroundings anC
divorce himself, for the nonce from al
social or family ties and investigate tn,
thing for himself.
Parting of the Ways.
This duty is one of the weightes
chat the generations of progress and tn
blood Of his ancestors have made in
cumbeM upon him. If he enters upon i
wrongly he not only stultiies his owl
usefulness and injects germ of partia
failure into his own life. but he fails mos
miserably to measure up to one of tn
highest opportunities ever vouchsafed t
mankind. 1t is now too late in this pro
gressve age to allow personal preference
or any inclination of our ancestors o
Immediate forefathers to influence us i
work which will affect the destinie
of mankind. 1t is sacred privilege an
an act which affects nearly a hundre
million people. Is there not cause 70
pause2
Fhen as Americans, as the inheritor
of all that is glorious and grand in tn
history OF the greatest Republic on eartl
what can young man find in the Demo
cratic party's record that would apes
to his pride his patriotism, his sense G
duty or his idea of intelligent citizenship
All any sane and conservatively-mind
young man has to do is to simply con
pare the records of the two parties fc
the last half century. w nat does n
find? He finds that at every turn on
has been progressive, constructive, patr
otto; working for the general interest
and welfare of humanity The othe
has been a party of negation predctin
calamity, crying despair and prophesyin
wreck and ruin of the government; stant
ing uniformly and perpemally as an oil
stacle and obstruction to all measure
calculated for the general good.
Party of Action.
Some of the accomplishments Of II
Republican party may well be contras
ed with the asnine acts and obStrucfo
tactics of the party of slavery. Sta
rights, secession. anti-eXpan>ion. fir,
trade and free silver. From The immo
tai Lincoln to the ilustrious Rooseye
there is nothing but one long line of bri
liant achievements of the Republica