The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1912-11-02
COME, LET US REASON TOGETHER

TUESDAY next will be Election day.
1t will then become your duty 20 vote;
and to vote not as some one tells you to
vote, but as your best Judgment and hon
est conviction lead you to think will be
best for your countrys welfare.
Voting is too big a matter, too fm-
portant prerogative of good citizenship
TO be directed by any marrow, paitry
motive. Some of our readers, for exam
pie are proposing to desert the Repuoli-
can ticket because they personally dis
like certain of MIR. Tafts public acts.
So do we. There have been occasions N
Mr.. Taft's presidential career, wlcn We
have felt good deal like going at him
with an axe. Your wife has telt tine
same way toward you, dear sir, more
than once, in your marital career. But
that is no reason for flying off at tan
gent, and seeking a divorce. There has
to be some measure OF forbearance in
the affairs of life, if we are to get on at
all, and a constant remembrance that
the bigger things are not to be broken
down by the smaller. Exactly so in the
present political situation. Despite ou1
occasional irritation at Mr. Taft's course
as President, we realize the fact that
there is something much greater at
stake than the personal politica fortunes
OF William Howard Taft, or the indul-
gence of my personal political resent
ment. The stake at this election is the
welfare of the American people, and
have no right to trife with that stake on
any paltry personal grounds 1t is trifi-
ing with that stake to cast "a vote or a
half vote for Governor Wilson at this
election. Mr.. Wilson is standing on a
platform which declares all tariff i'm
posed for purposes of protection uncon-
stitut!onal He must perforce use every
influence to have such tariff for protec-
tion" abolished. He is supported by a
party which at the last Congress passed
tariff bills which (out for President
Taft's vetoes) would have ruined half
the great industries OF America, closed
down thousands of our mills and thrown
out of employment great army OF
American working men. Would these
bills be vetoed by Wilson, if he were
President and a Democratic Congress
should pass them again? Hardly. And
yet the signing of such bills and their
consequent enactment into law would
spell disaster to American industry. DO
YOU WANT THAT? 10 you want our
present prosperous estate overturned
Do the farmers want the prices of their
products lowered? Do the workmen want
their wages reduced? DO tradesmen
want their sales cuI tailed? THEE are
the questions that should confront you
at the present time, and not simply a
matter of your personal feeling toward
Mr.. Taft. There are bigger questions
than personal feelings at stake.
The same reasoning exactly should APP
ply to those Republicans who are fight
ing the Taft ticket because of thSir ami
mostly toward the organization, or the
forces or the people (or whatever you
may call it, which are conducting the
tight for that ticket. We can understand,
and in some good measure, sympathize
with, that animosity Nothing gets on
ones nerve more at times than the ma
chine politician and it is not surpris-
ing that every now and again the people
break out in revolt against his rule. But
are you going TO get back at the poll
ticians by sacrificing the welfare of the
men and women ana children of this fair
land of ours? For ourselves, we can bet
Ter endure the insolence OF an occasional
machine politician than the cries of hun
CRY children and haunting eyes of work
less men and women. If there were
nothing more at stake than the mere
existence OF the professional politicians,
we would be quite willing to cry, up
guards and at en-" But there is more
at stake-vastly more; and We do not
think wise man should be found fling
ing pebbles at AN occasional politician
while the citadeis of our homes and in
dustries are being assaulted
And now, just one final word to the
Republicans who are honestly committed
TO the program OF the Progressive party
and who purpose castinI a half vote for
Wilson by casting a whole vote for
Roosevelt: You are going to so vote,
because, despite your understanding of
the helplessness of Roosevelts winning.
you feel called upon to vote your prin-
clples Let us say that we respect your
attitude, but let us also say very frankly
that it is ill-consiIered. Think a mo.
ment II is easy for one TO strike a
tho ! 90 down to defeat" But the pose
does not seem so her1ic and certainly
must appear some ghat heartless when
one is thereby contributing his half vote
TO deprive the laborer of his wage. with
the consequent suffering to his home and
loved ones. Let Ms remember. dear
friends, that there is something else 10
he considered than our own personal at
fitude. In voting we are in some meas
ure leS!s!ating- and no just and wise
man legislates merely from his own
ego.s,!c standpoint. He legislates "a
iortori he votes) for the PUBLIC veal;
ne has regard for the men, women and
chiidre nof his land Do. you properly
regard them when you so vote as to
overthrow The conditions that have made
them prosperous and happy? viii Won
not 50 vote when you cast a whole vote
or half vote for Woodrow Wilson nd
mis- ru'nous free trade program?