The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1908-04-15
DON'T LET THE TEST DISFRAN-
CHISE YOU.

The McLennan county democratic
executive committee, at its session in
Waco last Saturday ruled that any
ballot with the test erased could not
tie counted. The test reads as fol-
lows:
Il am democrat and pledge my
self to support the democratic presi-
Dental electors nominated by the
democratic party in 1908, and the
nominees of the democratic party to
be nominated in the primary election
to be held in July, 1908"
Commenting on this action the
Times-Herald says The committee
ruling was correct; this is no time
for quibbling. We put it that way
because we doubt the authority of
the state committee to prescribe tests
for the several counties.
"In 1895 the state committee
made the action of the state democ-
racy as to the money question final
as against the national convention,
and that was so bitterly resented by
many of the gold advocates that they
refused to enter the primaries, some
of them going to the extent of put
ting out ticket which represented
their views.
This editor used to be a great
stickler for regularity; for shutting
the man out who didn't vote the
ticket from top to bottom. But he
has come to see that putting a man
in chains doesn't make him a better
democrat or more patriotic citi-
zen. The conscript makes a mighty
poor soldier.
Men who think alike are apt to
act together. The repub lican party
grew out of the two old parties, des-
troying one of them, as to name at
winning recruits from the republican
party; theirs was more excellent
ticket in the Judgment of thousands
of republicans, many of whom had
doubtless taken part in the prelimin-
aries that eliminated in the nomina-
ton of Mr. Blaine If Mr.. Bryan is
to triumph this year, he must win
recruits from the republican camp.
If test such as we are enforcing in
Texas We're adopted by the republic
cans in all the states and should be
religiously lived up to, the Denver
convention would have it's pains for
naught, for at this time the determ-
lining states are overwhelmingly re-
publican. Dissatisfied republicans
and despised mugwumps must come
to Mr.. Bryan's rescue or he will fall
hopelessly behind in the returns
Down here in Texas it is no mat
ter whether we have or don't have
a test, for the only election we have
is the primary election; that in No
yember is mere form Therefore,
man is foolish-begging your par
don, sir to let any sort of test dis
franchise him. This editor travelled
that road in 1896; he stayed out of
the primary that year, but he will
never again be caught straining at a
test and FORGETTING his suffrage. The
real exercise of suffrage with us
here in Texas is in the primary.
Therefore, all democrats, wheth-
er Bryan or anti-Bryan; whether
Campbell or anti-Campbell, should
enter the primary on May and
again on July %. There is where
ones vote counts. To wait until No
vember is to be out in the rain and
the cold and the snow. Had we a ri
val political organization in Texas
it would then be different; one could
then be thoroughly Independent and
vote for the side which best met his
views. But as it is, not to vote in
May and again in July is to have
paid ones poll tax for nought
"Remem Der, a ballot with the test
erased is no ballot at all; take it as
prescribed; don't let a little thing
like that work your disfranchise-
-