Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-06-30

Discussing this subject with the edi-
tor the othed day, an observant,
thoughoful citizen put the matter about
like this:
Before deciding what particular
candidate l will vote for, for a given
office. l will try to be informed as we'll
as possible about all the candidates
about their personal records as citi-
zens, their capacity to fill the office for
which they are standing, their regard
for right and wrong, their characteris-
tic consideration of others, their atti-
tude toward law and order, toward
graft and dishonesty, etc. Then after
have gotten about all the information
can get, l go ahead, as regardless as
possible Of preferences that may have
been expressed by friends or others
and choose my man I have been do
ing this for years, and one thing that
l have invariably noticed is that after
have made up my mind, 1 find nu-
merous neighbors, friends and ac-
quaintances have given their support
to men standing for exactly the oppo-
site of what mine stand for. Now I an
not surprised or puzzled that there
should be difference of opinion; but
notice that practically the same men
are arrayed against me every time, and
what puzzles me is the basis Of align
ment. 1 am not willing to concede thai
factionalism enters into the matter, fol
have noticed the same tendencies
during times when factional feeling
was running high as when this feeling
was hardly noticeable"
That the observation and testimony
quoted opens up quite an interesting
study, there is no need to try to deny;
but we are not foolish enough to think
that we are wise enough to solve such
a puzzle.
There is hardly any limit to the con-
siderations that influence men in the
casting of their votes. From the stand,
point of the idealist, principle alone
should govern-principles Of right ant
wrong. No healthy minded man would
undertake to say such principles should
ever be disregarded, but in this partic.
ular matter even the wisest men some
times find it difficult to decide which
particular consideration Of right should
outweigh all the others.
Sometimes men vote for an objec.
tionable man on an approved platform
and sometimes they vote for an ap'
proved man on an Objectionable plat.
form. In neither case are they alto
gether satisfied. There are those who
vote for men because Of their qualifica.
tions to give proper service and there
are others who vote for men because
they need the place. Some people con-
slider the public welfare alone, while
others do not look beyond the selfish
interest of themselves or their friends
To discover all the reasons for voting
would require an exploitation Of th'
whole range Of human meanness anC
of human goodness.
But after all has been said that cal
be said it will have to be admitted tina
the great line of division is that be
tween right and wrong. There Is al
ways more right or wrong on one sid
than on the other and that determine
the most votes. 1t does not follow tina
the most votes have to be on the righ
side. They can as easily be on tn
wrong side, and when this happens 1
shows not so much that wrong is righ
as that most of the people are wrong.
And our friend quoted above will no
take this as any reflection upon him
self. He happens to be man VIII
reaches his conclusions through tn
highest and best considerations. /
would hardly be fair to say that tn
neighbors and friends to whom he re
fers, do not do the same thing. Thi
particular individual would not max
such a charge against anybody unles
absolutely sure of his ground. But II
this connection we will make this sug
gestion as a fact. All men do not striv
after what is nearest right. There ar
IiiouSoiuS WIN SIiifS a6e'ili'I 'iiS AiSii
and who strive against those who tr.
to do right and they get as mucl
pleasure out Of a triumph over right
as those who really and truly stand 70
right get out of a triumph Of right.
We are making no pretense Of hav
ing answered the question heading
these remarks or of having relieved tn
perplexity of the gentleman who mad
the observation quoted; but we ven
ture that those who have glance
through what we have been saying, ar
still thinking.