The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-08-21
Voice Of the P eople
The WHY of Your Nnte.

To the Editor OF The Times dispatch.
slr,-Thcre has always been why
behind every vote. That why when
ascertalned. gives an iniall!hle cue 10
the character OF the voter. Tho voter
largely makes the nation; the spirit
Of the nation aids or h!nders c.villza-
ton the highest civilization lis the
ultimate goal OF the world. IL this
logic Is correct then the why behind
the vote IS o. vast Importance.
AS q general thing it Is doubtful
whether the voter pauses TO analyze
the motives or the impulses behind
his exercise OF tho franchise. Certain
ly not further than in a casual way.
II Is equally DOUBTFUL that the voter.
as rule truly realizes the Tremendous
SIGNIFICANCE and responsibility OF his
pcrogative OF the ballot
The question. Am ny brothers.
keeper was answered by Omnipotence
thousands OF years ago The rvsponsi-
bility was fixed upon rs IN the very
beginning Of the beginning ana
is not to be evaded And Vet
membered? The question IS up 10
you.
There are ave classes Of voters. -Four
OF these are not true to themselves
or their trust Tho hfth class IS ana
mat class Is made up OF those.
Who Vote From Conviction.
We want to believe that this class
Is by far the larger and yet the pollti-
cal. economic and civic condition OF our
country gives this belief the lie. This
would not be SO II every honest man
cXertcd himself sufficiently to attain
a fair and accurate knowledge of all
questions he j. called upon to give
his endorsement to OK protest against.
Before Il man accepts a religion he
examines 1t in detail. discusses its
every dogma and every phaze OF its
creed. Before he enters into a GUST
ness he Inventories the stock examines
The books and satisfies himself OF its
condition. In fact before he BUYS q
horse he looks into his mouth. rides
or drives II. feels It's legs and makes
inquiry OF the neighbors as TO It's pre-
vious behavior on the other hand
when ne goes to vote the chance is
he does not even understood the issue
or know the candidate suGciently To
Judge what his attitude viii be on
questions that he does know something
Of lie frequently arrives at the polls
in a state of INDIGESTION and asks q
neighbor or friend to advise him for
whom TO vote. Others CLEAN their
knowledge Of the political situation
from some pet partisan newspaper or
passive!y accept the IDEAS Of some
local politician
These men on the whole desire to
vote right. bat they are dishonesty
negligent in their undergraduates. This
more or less blind sort of vote ha4
made possible many of tho Unhappy
conditions of the country to-day When
men wake up to the fact that their
vote is not n mere drop in tho bucket
but an integral factor In dctcrminime
the advance OF progress OF their
country they viii more conscient!ously
devote themselves to mastering the
real why OF their vote.
Thnsc who Vote From Tradition
This hits home Al least we OF the
South have been generally accused Of
IT and the accusation IS not utterly
baseless. The solid South has iong
been regarded as an unawervable mass
OF voters. hide bound in its prejudice
and unamenable to argument OF reason
The Indictment is too severe and we
resent H. However. we cannot deny
that sentiment born in e dead yester-
day and under different regime leads
to lazy acceptance or political be-
lief OF to-day. 1t is right and proper
that we should be Democrats. but II Is
neither right nor proper that we should
be so because our fathers and fore