The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1912-11-01
Election November S

IL Has always UecII IIie SuoIoAIi L III
Leader to have something to say to it
readers about elections and candidate
for office. In the outcome of the ell
ection next Tuesday the Leader has
no personal interest-the outcome will
in no way benefit US personally Thu
only interest that we have in this elect
ion is the interest that every unselisf
citizen and taxpayer should tina
of seeing that good and capable ant
honest men are selected to fill the
various county, state and national
sofices.'
There was a time when political
parties and political organizations to q
great extent controlled and directed
the acts and deeds Of public officers.
The voters looked to the party not to
the men. The voter regarded and held
the party responsible for the faithful
performance of duty of an officer that
had by it been elected to office. The
inauguration Of the primary system,
however, has practically obliterated
parties and party organizations. Parties
and party organizations do not now
weld the power that they formerly
did. They have lost control not only
of the voter but Of the. officer. This
new condition of affairs adds immensely
to the responsibility of the individual
voter. The various parties no longer
meet in delegate or mass convention
and select and recommend party can
didates for office-this is now performed
by the individual voter at the party
primary. The power to nominate and
elect men to Office is now completely
vested in the people and the officer has
been prompt to recognize that he 1--WE
his allegiance to all the people and not
to any party Or party organization.
This we say; makes the political duty
of the individual voter immensely
important and every voter should go to
the polls next Tuesday and exercise
care and prudence in casting his ballot
he should vote for men and measures
that will, in his opinion, best serve his
interests. 1t is a business proposition.
Every voter is a tax contributor n he
is interested in having good, economical
service from his servants the officers.
Officers who have been tried and found
derelict to their duty should not receive
the vote or support of good citizens.
1t is only fair to presume that an officer
who has been negligent of his duty,
extravagant in handling his office, has
proven himself inefficient and inatten-
tive, has been a user of trust funds and
in the eyes of the law is a
defaulter, will not improve if continued
in Office, and is neither a safe nor a
desirable man for the taxpayers to con-
tinue in office. Under these new ar
engagements it becomes the duty of the
individual voter to acquaint himself
with conditions as they exist, fami-
liarize himself with public affairs, and
become a spoke in the wheel for good
government. Good, acknowledgements
ment of public affairs is what We should
aim for. We need men in Office who
are capable, able and willing to work
and who will personally discharge the
duties of their office-men who regard
the interests of the taxpayer above all
others.
When you go to the polls November
S single out those whom you know have
failed in their duty and vote for your
interest as a taxpayer.