Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1910-10-21
INDEPENDENT VOTING

ional and State politics during The
} fpast year, TO insurgents, the old
, guard, stand patters, ETC., it is q
pleasure 10 feel that from the time
first seriously contemplated holding
public office have advocated greater
freedom in voting. / have urged
.be Idea of a change in the political
condition Of my county. ! have be-
sought voters to cast aside the "a
years Of one party rule and asked
them not to regard party name,
democrat or republican Dut to elect
men to Office who could aud would
do something for the benefit of the
eownshipe or county.
That every voter should cast his
lot ,ith some political party or or
gnnization in National and state
affairs is right and oommendable,
whether he is Republican and be-
/ lievos in protective tariff, or is q
| Democrat, and believes in a free and
unrestricted trade between nations,
and in state politics too in more or
less degree, we must affiliate with a
political party organization.
But in County town and Borough
politics where every voter has the
privilege of meeting and judging the
character of the candidates, say
shat every man 81 years of age
should use the reasoning powers
given him by the Great Giver and
vote as his conscience ard judgment
shall dictate, and for that candidate,
who, in his opinion, will best serve
his county, town or borough, and
guard carefully that small pittanoe
paid in by taxes collected and which
must be disbursed under the direc
ton of the candidate who is success.
ful at the polls.
1 never have or ever will, In local
politics, look to the party column to
see where l am voting, but, knowing
the men, l shall pick out those who
in my Judgment, are best qualified to
spend the money have paid in taxes
IND the fact that they are republican
or democrat in national questions
does not affect him in local condi.
lions, in the least.
No great political party can be
composed of men wholly pure,
neither can II be wholly bad, and no
township is free from men evilly
disposed, neither is it composed of
men wholly good, and thus no party
should be condemned as whole, be.
cause it has rascals in its ranks, any
more than a county or a township
should be Stunned, beoause of evil
contained therein, but, if we find in
the party or the county Oh the town.
ship, that which appeals to our clean
Judgment as being wrong, we can
get away from it, or else we can
'clean house.
am no mans insurgent nor a
stand patter. l am no mans SER
want and no mau is my boss. do
what in my own judgment l think is
right snd what l think is wrong l
keep away from,
When sci of men, whether in
business or politics so far forget
themselves, as to endeavor to force
upon the people who have placed
them IN the position they occupy
something they do not want and
this set of men know they do not
want, but expect 70 make them take,
just SO soon should the people wake
mp and forget them, and inst so soon
as man elected to Office feels TINT
HE is the office and not servant of
the people eleoting him, Just so soon
do the people want to forget him. for
he is a dangerous man, ard does not
represent the people, but himself.
One of the greatest maxims OF re.
cent years was coined by the Hon.
William j. Bryan, and was, "Shal
the people ruler" the question so
long as we remain a republic, is un-
answerable for 80 soon as tho people
do not rule by individual ballot or
by representation, we cease to be a
republic and eeome an oligarchy,
and our forefathers got away from
that as soon as they could.
Gentlemen of Pike County, the
party name on the ballot in town and
} county politics may look good, and
you may be advised to vote the ticket
straight, but 1t can do nothing for
{ you, you may bow down, as do the
heathen, to a wooden idol or some
inanimate object and offer up your
, supplioations. yet as educated men,
AS men with reasoning powers, you
know that such supplicstions, unless
assisted by nature, or the natural
trend OF conditions, win not prevail
no matter how earnest and strenu.
Gus your efforts have been.
5 II takes a good husky man to fol.
p low the reaper and you would prefer
L..