Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-02-12

The Poll Lists Will Become HIS
tOricaI Documents.
Whether or not you vote at the
election held this Tuesday, February
II, may appear to you to be matter
of no great Importance. You may feel
no material difference. 1t may and 1t
may not make difference in the re-
suit of the election, but whether it
does or not the fact that you have
or have not voted will make a differ
ence with you.
1t will be a measure of your loyalty
to the government. The right to vote
is not alone a privilege. 1t is a duty.
The dictionary defines loyalty as
"upholding lawful authority" Does
it appear to you that the man who
so lightly disregards his obligations
as a citizen of this Republic, as to
neglect to vote, and especially at
time like this, has shown his desire
to uphold lawful authority"
If he is so Indifferent as to neglect
this great duty can he feel that he
has accorded to the National and
State administrations that measure
of support to which they are en-
titled, has he given to the six hun
dred young men, who have gone forth
from Marathon county and the two
thousand more who are soon to fol-
low them a concrete evidence of his
unfaltering support of them?
This may not appear like an cleo
ton of much. Importance to you, but
believe us it is, and that the soldier
boys at the front will be anxiously
awaiting the message from home, that
will bring to them the news that Old
Marathon stands behind them to a
man, and the size of the vote cast
in Marathon will be the measure by
which they will judge of our support
and loyalty. A small vote will be an
indication of indifference, large
vote will show to them that the
patriotic fervor that moved us and
brought us out in cheering crowds
to bid them God speed when they left
our city were sincere expressions and
that our patriotism burns even more
fiercely today.
In the years to come and when
the war has been brought to a vic
torious end, when kaiserism has for
ever been abolished, when the people
of Germany have succeeded in es-
tablishing for themselves a democrat
ic form of government and again
taken their places among the honored
nations of the world, the poll lists
of next Tuesday will become treas
ured possessions.
These poll lists will contain the
names of all those who felt interest
enough in their government to ex-
ercise their great privilege and duty
in that hour of peril. If your name
fails to appear on that list you have
no one to blame but yourself. No
business should be of such import
ance as to prevent you showing your
loyalty. These lists will contain the
names of those who stood true.
In voting no thought should con-
troll except that of how best you can
serve your country, how best you
can prove your loyalty, your devotion
to The flag, your love of freedom and
of humanity, your answering sup
port of the boys who have gone or
will soon be called to the colors. and
this you can best do by casting your
ballot for Ernest A. Dunn, who openly
stands pledged 10 all these things, and
whose citizenship is of that high
character that men have felt free
to obliterate all party lines and SUP
port him on patriotic grouuGs, the
republicans having given him the
nomination at the primaries and the
democrats having withdrawn all OPP
position and voluntarily accorded to
him their unStinted support.