Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1904-06-03
THE SOVEREIGN DUTY.
Preparation For Intelligently
Casting a First Vote.
ISSUES SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED

Voter In Close states-Young Men
Must Be Made to Understand That
the Value of Vote Is Beyond
Computation.
Young men who will cast their first
vote at the coming national election
should investigate the funda mental
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-
r0gative Of IN American citizen. The
greatest right in Il democratic republic
like OURS is represented by the bal
lot. The poor man and tile rich one. the
first voter and the most accom- iJ.z.=led
statnsIaan in the land, are all eq}!al be-
fore the law and are sovereign voters.
not only IS the act Of voting tHe high
est political function, but il involves
the 2fe:ltrst responsibility. \ few
votes often turn the seale IN close
states and political districts, 50 no vot-
el must imagine thai hi, ballot is Tot
Of consequence, as he may decide is
sues Of traHseenFledt Importance and
elect cslndiaatas for he highest offices
WHO viii have tAe eXec9tivn= power
placed IN their hands. -Aftel the eIee-
ton is eeer he voters have transfer
fed tzss power to those whom they
lave elected to represent tlleu, and tie
individual voter Is noWeriess Until the
next election occurs.
Among the great issues that Will be
decided at the coming national eIee-
tfon is;=onr that should appeal to young
voters with Irresistible force. The
question Of the protective tariff anG
pocllrtbook Of evarN vote. and must
bt' decided us interest dictates Other
issN,'S may be settled upon patriotic or
huuanitarinn grounds, but the intli-
rect =ts.N;a5fsa vi the tariff and its ac.
knoWledgpl fostering Of trusts are fast
breaking down that good old DeIno.
cratic doctrine OF equal rights to ali
and. special privileges to none"
II the young voter IS the son of q
trust nlagnate or one who has through
some special privilege become a mo-
nopoliSt, he may be expected to follow
in his fathers footsteps and vote to
continue Il system that allows enOT.
nous fortunes to be created at the eX-
pense Of the great majority.
But Were there Is one such child Of
fortune there are thousands who are
children of the poor, and the young
voter who has nothing or bat little but
his own tXertions to provide a 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 think ing if he
finds the avenues of employment less
ening and the standard OF wages de-
CreaSnS in proportion to the Increased
cost of living.
Does any We'll 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 be see a fair share of the
raSt 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 stir mems souls that they forget
their pocketbooks. The young voter
must to vote with intelligence lnvesti-
gate the evidence on both sides and de-
ci,le who will represent him most effec-
tually in securing equal rights and !
prevent the favored few from obtain
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 At a safe distance the
vote buyer Your vote is as valuable |
IS that of Roekefellr}, it counts for as
much, and no money value can he |
placed upon il, IS value is beyond |
computation.