Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1907-10-04
FEIpAY. OCToBER 1. 1900
WHAT A CITIZEN Is.
lie is a Voter Who Notes-he
Votes to Express His Opinion.

10 be a citizen in the real sense OF the
word one must exercise the right OF sui
fragr. This is necess ~ inherent !"
the term that is often lost sight oil 10y
the man whom the law authorizes to east
a ballot. \ citizen is a voter who votes
But he is OF simply voter The sub
of the citizen in the voter has
been the result of the wrong political
education of the American people. Moth
ing is more significant IN these days
than the restoration of citizenship TO ITS
rights aud perogatives. There is the |
width of the universe between the voter |
and the citizen. The former has the
right to east a vote, but may or may not
exercise the right. He may be deferred
by Indifference. He may he restrained
bv purchase. lie may be prevented by
fear or favor. Ia any case he~has Tor
feited the vital part of his citizenship.
The mere voter has been the hane OF the
country: the lack of assertive citizen
ship has been one its most serious LOSSES
The voter is essentially venal unless he
is a citizen as well as a vote-caster. II
the election to him means only the cast
ing of vote, he is open to suggestion
or influence as to how he shall cast that
vote, and so becomes an instrument OF
corruption aud political debauchment.
1t is the end of free institutions to make
every individual feel his personal respon-
sibility toward the Recommendations
al, state, municipal or county. When
the voter yields his right into the hands
of another the franchise has been pol
luted and the country has lost that much
in the quality of its citizenship.
A citizen represents bnt one yote a
voter may represent as many as the boss
es can enable him to cast, or represent
none at all if it is their interest that he
refrain from voting. A voter has no
interest in the outcome of the election
other than the success of the persons tol
whom he was instructed to cast his bal
lot, and this only because, as pnrchas,
able character, he may need to look to
L. thn f,,t A aitI
zen's interest in his vote only begins al
the ballot box. He votes not simply tC
exercise the right of franchise-he vote.
that through that franchise he may make
effective his political opinions. The
vote is but an Lstrumentality behind the
man. 1t is but his voice in the conclavt
of the people. 1t is his speech upon the
questions of the day, and is effective
when stump oratory may have failed t'
change the sentiments of single in
dividual.
If the citizen is such in the real sense
he must perfotshl his duty at the polls
There is no silent voting among goo
citizens. There is never an election a
which the issues do not come to tn
doorsill of every citizen. There is ney
er selection to be made in public SCI
wants that does not involve principles o
public policy and questions of relativ
merit that call for the expression of tn
citizen at the polls. The man who
not a citizen in the sense of being v
tally interested in the conduct of th
city, state or nation has no cause fo
complaint at the herding of the mer
voters by men who are vitally, even
too personally, interested i'll the thing
he neglects. The citizen is as much
public servant as is the otficeholde
His common duties may leave him onl
the work Of keeping Informed upon pub
lie matters, and of casting his vote fo
the men and issues that are approved t
his Judgment But in doing this he
performing an act of public service tia
fills the measure of his responsibility.
Under the American system the citize
needs to be partisan either fxedly {
else following the trend of his changin
convictions with regard to political col
ditions. Parties have ii deeper meanin
than that of organizations or the viii
ming of elections. The great parties hav
certain basic distinctions that are radici
and that generally command the stead
adherence of the citizen. These distin
tions are not always acute, and locs
features OF elections may at times owe
shadow them SO that the citizen become
an independent. But INDEPENDENCE j
but an occasional virtue. The citize
should ally himself to the party that i
his estimation stands for the best int
ests of the people. The existing ,
parties has much to do with stmulatit
citizenship Issues are exploited, Inc
become individualized aud campaie
methods educate the citizen-Balt
mofe American.