Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-11-20
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THE SILENT VOTE.


II is late in the day to advise any
body how they ought to have voted
yet some OF the results OF the late
contest brings to mind the great
harm that many people have wrought
by not voting at all. Many a good
man has suffered defeat not be-
cause the voters were opposed TO
him, but because they were not
caring enough FOR the public well
fare 10 come out and vote The ST
lent vote cannot be regarded As a
standoff because, while it technically
casts half a vote against both op-
ponents, Yet IN a moral sense II de-
prives the man whose election was
most desirable OF the votes which
might have elected him. and 10 that
extent is an absolute injury 70 the
body polite. No, only that. but
every recurrence Of this quaudary
helps 70 disgust really worthy men
with politics and makes t harder
every year 20 get the right kind OF
dates We have easily got to the
point where We have 10 conscript
men 20 run tcr office whenever the
public conscience : aroused 70 the
point q desiring the dispossessiou OF
the demagog-e. Hundreds Of peo-
pie viii urge such men to run. and
then on election day permit the most
trivial interests TO prevent them
from going TO the polls 10 support the
man they solicited TO run.
In another view Of the case the
initiative and referendum has largely
proven howling failure because OF
this very Indifference. In tho last
election In this state two very meri-
torious and important measures were
lost, not because people voted against
them, but because SO many did not
vote at all. In the workings Of the
referendum a failure 20 vote does not
even divide the adverse vote but is
counted as though Il We're an adverse
vote tn itself Thus every voter who
failed 20 vote on these measures
helped directly 10 defeat them Just
as much as though he had voted
against them. II this is TO be the
practice In future elections. We might
as well abolish the referendum alto
gether, for It is more honorable and
above board to oppose measures OF
state policy than II 10 TO allow them
to die by default. OF course we know
that many enemies Of these propo-
sitions encourage dthis Indifference
for IT was easier done and served
their purpose just as well as though
they had drummed up that many ad-
verse votes. The voter himself is the
man to blame, and II the citizens OF
Oklahoma do not like the way things
are run in this state II is their bust
ness TO say SO AT the polls and not
shoulder the responsibility off on
somebody else and continue 10
srumble at the cussedncss OF things
In general.
II is a long time TIL another elec-
ton, but let our readers bear in
mind that theirs is the blame II they
failed to register their will at the
polls, and those who failed to vote on
the propositions have no moro right
TO grumhle at the docadcnce OF our
institutions than those who fought
them from their inception. The man
who does not vote is the bane Of
American politics today, ana II ever
this nation falls from high estate, IL
will be because OF the Indifference
and carclcssucss OF those In whom is
vested the power OF the ballot Says
Ira Landrith. who had the distuc-
ton of making the race for vice
president on tho Prohibition ticket:
The republics chief menace is not
the political activity OF the vicious.
but the political Incidence OF tho
virtuous Add TO the number OF good
citizens who do vote the millions OF
ballots that indifferent integrity
never casts and legalzed iniQuity
would disappear any election day.
The man who stays away from the
polls TO save time or to avoid losing
friends or customers is bribe-taker
as really as II he sold his ballot for
the price OF drink or for a square
meal"
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