The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1908-09-11
PLAN OF NEW Jersey REPRE-
SENTATIVE.
BETTER men CANDIDATES
"A Law Making II Compulsory For
Men to Go to The Polls Is Ad.
vooated-Negleet In Duty Re.
suits In Graft.

New York. Sept 10 20 believe
said Representative II. G.. Iomdcu.
slagcr OF New Jersey today. We will
never have really pure politics m
America until We devise some means
fer compelling voters TO perform their
duties AZ the present time the per
c.utagc of MEN who snirk their r,s.
possibility particularly at the prl.
marics are enormous
"Th. result is that the political
game iu America is played too often
only by an inferior class of citizens
who could easily be- outvotcd by
good men. Thcs' dcnultiur good
citizens VINO neglect their duty to
IN. community are responsible for
graft in public life. for bossism in
states and cities and practically ev-
cry iniquity iu American politics
This is a fact wnlch Is known to
every practical polti ian and to cv.
cry man who has ever run for pubic
office. II they would do their duty
We would have clean politics. and
I have been slowly cominr To the Opin-
/ ion We never will have clean politics
until the exercise OF the right ut
voting is made compulsory by every
/ person who Is entitled to cast bal.
/ lot.
The way the thing works out r.
| perfectly plain and perfectly simple.
but entirely wrong continued Mr..
Loudcnslager. as he sat at his desk
in the ST. James building. whore II.
is the head of the congressional cam
paign in the absence of Chairman
Mckinley.
When some good man is urged by
a few friends to make the race for
congress or for the legislature or fO.
the city council he first of all goes
around to the people he knows and
asks their advice In nine cases ou,
of ten these people are likely to bo
the best men in the community.
"A man perhaps Is successful
lawyer or business man and they
know that If elected he will look on,
honestly and efficiently for their IN.
interests. they all tell him, one af-
ter another ne Is the best possible
man for the place and they would h,,
to see him elected. when he asks
them TO go out and work for him
within party lines, attend primaries
and help him to secure the nomina-
ton they all backwater. This rule
is almost inyarable. Men of this
class say they are to busy to partici-
pate in the work Of the party organ
ization and they simply cannot be
induced to go to primaries.
The inevitable rule of this is 10
put political power in the hands o.
the most unworthy stratum in the
community The l. wyer or business
man starts at the top, but he always
winds up pretty close to the bottom
With good men In the majority, n,
Is nevertheless compelled to court
the vors of the unworthy element
and 1t Is this fact which degrades
Am rican politics.
There Is but one remedy" he
continued for this state of affairs
we must compel citizens TO exercise
their right OF franchise, just as W.
compel them to do jury duty, to {
certain extent, although for that mat
ter respectable citizens eyade tha
duty and put the machinery Of ou
courts In the hands of the same un
desirable element. Being possessed
OF Intelligence, influence and numbers
the good men Of America could, 4
they desired to do so, absolutely con
troll our politics from start to finish
Bosses thrive and graft flourish s
because good citizens permit baC
! citizens 10 run our politics. The sub
stantial men OF any community coul'
drive the boss out OF business owe
night If they all turned out at th'
, primaries The result would be 4
attract better men as candidates