The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-10-31
DUTY OF VOTERS.
Should Turn Out Nov. with Rousing
Poll for Primary Nominees.

Many voters think that the new law
imposes upon them a double duty by
requiring them TO vote at the Septcm
Der primary and again at the Novem
Der election; but little reflection will
show them that their duties under the
primary law in respect to the election
of town representatives and county
and state officers are not more burden
some than they were under the old law
when they did their duty under that
law. For instance, it was their duty to
attend the caucusses called by their
town committees and after consider
ing the merits of candidates, to select
suitable men to represent their towns
in the next legislature. And when eau
cusses were called to choose delegates
to attend conventions for the nomina-
tion of men for county and state of
fcers and members of congress, it was
the duty of voters to attend those eau
cuSses and select delegates who would
nominate suitable men for those offices
men whom the people wanted.
The political history of our state
shows that voters did not attend their
caucusses and did not control their
conventions according to their right
and their duty. The consequence was
that a few F'party leaders, " so called,
| taking advantage of the apathy and
| neglect of voters, often took posses
| sion Of eaucusscs and conventions and
put men into the various offices who
were in no sense the choice of the PEG.
| pie.
The primary law was passed to right
this wrong by casting upon voters the
duty of nominating candidates for of
fees in direct primary meetings
1t is of no avail to say that the
old law, on the whole, was preferable
to the new one; that the latter does
not remove scheming politicians from
the face of the earth, but sends them
directly among the voters, where by
persuasion, eXhortation and the skillful
Use of money they seek to win then
support.
We must remember that the primary
law is referendum law, and that al
the last March meeting the voters OF
the state gave it their approval ant
the breath of life. For that reason anC
fer the reason that under its provi
sions an excellent list of candidate,
has been nominated, we ought to give
it our full support at the November
election. Let us give it fair trial fol
one biennial term, at least.
Republicans are now so well united
in this state that they feel sure of ;
large majority vote over their oppo
nents, therefore they were Indifferent
about attending the primary and may
be Indifferent about the election.
We must remember that our Ameri
can government is government by
the people, and that if we neglect t,
take a hand in its affairs it will reced,
from our control and tend towards al
aristocracy.
Vermont is always at the front whel
| patriotic duty is required of her. He
regiment was among the first to re
. spond to the President call for troop
to defend the Mexican border. vii
she not cast a Republican vote of 40,
1000 to $4,000 for Hughes as she did 70
Harrison, Mckinley and Roosevelt
, and full vote for all the candidate
nominated at the primaries?, The new
law gives US full opportunity to vote
There is no difficulty in understand
$ ing the ballots. In Brattleboro let u
] all turn out and vote for our esteeme,
. townsman whom we nominated 70
S town representative.
JAMES NJ. TYLER.