The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1914-05-29
TRICE'S TRUMPETEE.R
ARTICLES Published under this Heading fur
nished by N. P. A. Bureau, Jacksonville

| II nished by n. P. A. Bureau, Jacksonville
The responsibility of citizenship
which we will be called upon to exer-
else at the polls within few days
should not weigh too lightly upon
men. Governmental questions of mo-
| mentous Importance are always in
volved in general elections, and in
this state primary election to all in
tents and purposes is equivalent to a
general election. Officials are to be
| chosen upon whose unwavering wis
dom and unyielding integrity the
prosperity and happiness of the COM
monwealth is involved, and into
whose hands, therefore, the tranquil
ity of the people, for time, is en-
trusted. Hence it follows that the
franchise is privilege that should
be exercised with the greatest eau
ton, and only after the most serious
study of resultant conditions to fol-
low. He who undertakes this
study" by reading or hearing only
one side of the qeustion involved. is
apt to become narrow and prejudic-
ed, and equally as unfit to help shape
the destinies of his country as the
fellow who accepts this patriotic i'm
pulse secondhand from the cross
roads or street-corner politician.
For the privilege we now enjoy.
nearly century and a half ago our
forefathers dyed the Atlantic sea-
board a deep crimson with martyr
blood, and dotted the forests thence
to the Mississippi with the bleaching
bones of those immortal heroes who
followed Washington. The justice of
their acts has been attested by the
blessings of providence, and their
wisdom vouchsafed by the unparallel-
ed stability of our government. The
rise and fall of constitutional govern
ment in name only has filled to
crowded condition the cemetery of
nations, but the government of Wash
ington goes on forever In the firma-
ment of world achievement it is the
star of hope to which the eyes of op-
pressed humanity are turned. There
fore, the responsibility is great, and
in the manner of its discharge we
! should give our very best thought.
! Bi-ennially, just preceding our pri-
maries, certain sections of our state
are infested with all sorts of clap
trap for the guidance of voters. In
most cases the agitators are from
other states, and their main object is
the corralling of the dimes, quarters
and dollars of the people. To do this
| they have learned the Barnum idea of
fooling and humbugging the people,
| Barnum declared the secret of his
great financial success was the glory
of the people in being humbugged. SO
others are emulating him, and this is
| the harvest season with them. 1t
therefore becomes necessary for the
people to be alertly watchful for the
snares set for them, as we'll as very
careful of the brand of political econ
omy teaching they give up their good
money for.
| One gentleman who arrogates to
himself a divine right to think and
act for all the people of his communi-
ty, wrote me last week that people
who entertained the views l express
ed in some of my writings ought to be
"tarred and feathered and placed in
the national museum as a relic of
| bygone days" | wrote to the fellow
that l hoped he felt better. And |
| certainly do. There ought to be some
| enjoyment coming to him in this life.
He may not have time for enjoyment
in the next. In the long research of
an ordinary lifetime l find no record.
in modern or ancient literature, of
but one individuality who is utterly
devoid of federation. We know him
by various names, but more generally
as the controlling head of the infer
nal regions. In this one particular
at least my correspondent is rapidly
likening himself unto his preceptor.
| But started out to tell you the ad.
visibility of doing some thinking for
14yourself. Reformers have been with