The Semi-weekly leader., 1921-12-14
INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY.

Will CuuSs uOl AAOhu Jul SuCAAAC0
without but from our citizens with
in. This may not be caused by the
"Sin Of Commission but by the Sin
Of Omission" If the blood Of our
fathers and the tears Of our mothers
and all of the unselfish love and de-
votion to duty that has gone into the
making of this government is to
stand for naught, the fault will lie
at your door and at my door and
history in the future will point a
pitiless finger at you and me and de-
clare that the greatest advance in
human government was lost because
we failed to do our duty, in that we
failed to qualify to vote or failed to
vote an honest and intelligent ballot.
In the United States where popu-
lar government has always been look
ed upon by the other civilized Ma
tions of the earth the highest de-
velopment of the rule of the people,
a great many of our people have me-
elected to exercise their political
rights. am informed that prior to
the time when the right to vote was
given to the women, there were about
seventy-five thousand white men in
Mississippi eligible to register and
vote who neglected and failed to
perform this duty.
The urgent need Of the hour is to
bring home to every individual his
own great responsibility for self-as-
sertion in political life. The high
est obligation we owe to our govern
ment, in time of peace, is that every
individual, white citizen qualify and
vote. The man or woman who fails
to do this fear will occupy an
unenviable place in the future his
tory of this government, and it may
be that you or your children will live
to suffer, as result Of your negli-
gence.
The man or woman who will not
take time and enough interest in
their home, community and govern
ment to qualify themselves to vote
are sowing the seeds of destruction
of popular government and may live
to see the time when the finger Of
guilt will point to them as the con-
tributing cause of the destruction of
the right of the people>to control the
affairs of this government.
There is not a problem in the af-
fairs of our political life which can
not be cured, and cured promptly if
each voter, man and woman, will in
form themselves as to issues and as
to the character and ability Of men.
There is not a weakness in the struc-
ture of our governmental affairs that
can not be cured if we, as individuals
will intelligently and honestly exer-
else the privileges granted us by the
Constitution of the United States.
Political bosses, machine manipu-
lations, unbridled graft, criminal in
competency are impossible in that
community, municipality, county,
state and nation where the average
citizens are thoroughly aware of the
grave and individual responsibility
resting upon them. In our National
Government and every subdivision
thereof there is that element, al
ways in the minority-but bound to-
gether by selfish interests, thriving
on special privileges, which is me-
mace to our Democratic institutions.
In the lowest classes of human So
ciety there is always present a cri-
minal element ever ready to spring
at the throat of organized society.
We have to curb this element. They
will not come out in the open and
defy the laws because they know the
good citizens will not stand for it.
and order, yet some of our citizens
will fail to qualify and vote in order
to maintain the best system OF gov
ernment.
There is another element in this
country which is. dangerous to So
ciety and to our future progress.
That Is the element who seek and
very often obtain special privileges
through machine rule and political
bosses, from the smallest municipali-
| I1Co W tnS ldl 6OoC HdIlOHdl pOllIlSetl
ring which has it's headquarters in
Wall Street, and through it's various
branches is undertaking to control
the affairs of this government. I'm
fortunately for the people, this ele-
ment never sleeps. They are organ
lied to the teeth Their influence
is felt in every subdivision of our
government. This element does not
come out in the open, asa rule, and
fight. They work to bring about
their ends by more devious routes.
This element and their sympathizers
are always present at the polls. They
always pay their taxes before Feb
ruary 1st. They are always regis
tered. They are never too busy to
cast their ballot. They are never too
busy to lavish time and effort for
their candidate, whether it be mu-
nicipality, county. state or national,
who will best serve their interests
When the election is over and they
have elected their candidates they
stand in line to receive the rewards
and YOU who were Indifferent to
qualify and too busy, or indolent, as
Il L - l. Il.