Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-11-04

err will rise up to govern them. The
choice is always before them-wheth
err they will be slaves or whether
they Will be free. The only way to
be free is to exercise actively and
energetically the privileges and dis
charge faithfully the duties which
make freedom. 1t is not to be sec
cured by passive resistance. 1t is
the result of energy and action.
Asks Intelligent Action.
ITO live up TO the full measure of
citizenship in this Nation requires
not only action, but it requires in
telligent action. 1t is necessary to
secure information and to acquire ed
ucation. The background Of our citi-
zenship is the meeting house and the
school house, the place of religious
worship and the place of intellectual
training. But we cannot abandon
our education at the school house
door. We have to keep it up through
life A political campaign can be
justified only on the grounds that
it enables the citizens to become in
formed as to what policies are best
for themselves and for their country.
in order that they may vote to EJECT
those who from their past record
and present professions they know
will put such policies into effect. The
purpose of a campaign is to send an
intelligent and informed voter to the
ballot box. All the speeches. all the
literature, all the organization, all
the. effort. all the time and all the
money which are not finally regis
tered on election day are wasted.
We are always confronted with
the question of whether we wish to
be ruled by all. the people or part
of the people, by the minority or the
majority; whether we wish our cleo
lions to be dominated by those who
have been miSled. through the pres
entation of half truths. into the
formation of hasty, illogical and I'M
sound conclusions: or whether we
wish those to determine the course
Of our government who have.
through due. deliberation and careful
consideration of all the factors in
volved reached a sound and mature
conclusion.
Sees Dikcontent Danger.
I'VE shall always have with us an
element of discomfort. an element in
spired with more zeal than knoWi-
edge They will always be active
and energetic. and they seldom fail
to vote on election day. But the peo-
pie at large in this country are not
represented by them. They are
greatly in the minority. But their
number is large enough to be a de-
cisive factor in many elections, un-
less it is offset by the sober second
thought of the people who have
something at stake, whether it be
earnings from investment or from
employment, who are considering
not only their own welfare, but the
welfare of their children and of COM
ing generations. Our institutions
never contemplated that the conduct
of this country. the direction or It's
affairs, the adoption of its policies,
<he maintenance of it's principles,
should be decided by a minority
moved in part by self-interest and
prejudice. They were framed on the
theory that decisions would be made
by the great body of voters inspired
by patriotic motives. Faith in the
people does not mean faith in part
of the people. 1t means faith in all
the people Our country is always
safe when decisions are made py
majority of those who are entltled 10
vote 1t is always in peril when de-
cisions are made by minority.
Cites Washington View.
Lately we have added to our vot-
ing population the womanhood or the
nation. / do not suppose that George
Washington could be counted as one
who would have favored placing upon
the women of his time the duty and
responsibility of taking part in cleo
tions. Nevertheless he had such
deep realization of the Importance OF
their influence upon public anairs al
the time when we were adopting our
Federal Constitution that he wrote
to one of them as follows:
"a spirit of accommodation was
happily infused into the leading char-
acters Of the continent and the minds
of men were gradually prepared, by
disanpointment, for the reception of
q. good government. Nor could l rob
the fairer sex of their share in the
glory Of a revolution so honorable to
human nature, for. indeed, l think
YOU ladies are in the number Of the
best patriots America can boast.
THE praise of Washington was
none to high. without doubt the in
tuition of the women of his day was
quick to reveal what high promise
the patriotic efforts Of Washington
and his associates held out for the
homes and for the children of our
new and unfolding Republic. What
was then done by indirect influence
is now possible through direct &C
ton. The continuing welfare of the
children, are no longer represented
by an expectation. Experience has
made them the great reality of Amer
lea. If the women Of that day were
willing to support what was only
vision, a promise. surely in TINS day
they will be willing to go to the
ballot box to support what has be-
come an actual and permanent reali-
zation of their desires.
Must Benefit All.
But the right to vote is conferred
upon our citizens not only that they
may exercise it for their own bene-
fit. but in order that they may exer-
else it also for the benefit Of others.
Persons who have the right to vote
are trustees for the benefit of thet1
country and their countrymen. They
have no right to say they do not
care. They must care. They have
no right to say that whatever the re-
suit of the election they can get along.
They must remember that their country
along. They must remember that
and their countrymen cannot get
along, cannot remain sound, cannot
preserve it's institutions, cannot pro-
tect it's citizens, cannot maintain its
place in the world, unless those who
have the right to vote do sustain
and do guide the course of public
affairs by the thoughtful exercise Of
that right on election day. They do
not hold mere privilege to be exer-
cised or not, as passing fancy may
move them. They are charged with
a great trust, one of the most i'm
portant and most solem which can
be given into the keeping of an
American citizen. 1t should be dis
charged thoughtfully and seriously,
in accordance with it's vast import
ance.
II therefore urge upon all the
voters Of our country, without refer