Idaho County free press., 1924-10-30
every VOTER IS
URGED TO VOTE
ON NIH|SELECT|ON
A Strong Appeal To Every
Voter To Get Out Nov. 4,
And Vote. To Not Do So
Is Dangerous.

The laws of democracy intend that
every voter should cast his ballot when
the opportunity comes. II men and
women, as individuals, stay away
from the polls, while the remaining
men and women vote as organized
groups, the resulting danger is not on
ly government by the minority, but
government by organized groups and
factions.
This is not the kind Of government
that jefferson wrote about or that
Lincoln eulogized. The authors of the
Constitution, although not mentioning
political parties In that document, In
tended that America should have Its
great parties whose issues might sway
the electorate as a great pendulum 10
serve national needs but they did not
contemplate comparatively small fac
tions springing from selfish interests,
or what Is sometimes worse-vicious
motives. That is what might hap
pen-indeed often does happen--as
the result Of the apathy Of individual
voters.
Organized Factions Will Vote
You can be assured that evry rad
ical, every bolshevist. and every man
or woman with communistic tenden-
cies of mind Will this year be at the
polls. Why? Because it is their widest
avenue for expression of their doc
trines IL is their most telling blow a.
gainst government that II, and in
favor of government they want TO
be Because the average hard-worK-
ing, clear-minded citizen IL not "or-
ganizcd" in the sense of ulterior dem
onstration Is the strangest reason
why he should be aroused to out-point
the unscrupulous efforts at the bal
lot box.
Over Half Stayed AZ Home
This is the time to cast aside the
rules of edtorialism and get ''preachy'
This is the time to arouse the peace
time patriotism of the multitudes.
FIGURES OF THE UNITED
STATES CENSUS BUREAU SHOW
THAT TWENTY SEVEN MILLION
PEOPLE STAYED AWAY FROM
THE POLLS IN 1920. This represent
ed little less than one-half of the
eligibles. If the half that voted
equalled in political sagacity the half
that stayed away, perhaps the econ
omist might close the issue. But no
such Utoplan result can satisfy. such
lodc defeats itself, because IL does
not take into consideration the obli-
gaticn that each one Of us owes 10 our
government. THE WORST EFFECT
is NEVER IN WHO WAS OR WHO
WAS NOT ELECTED, but the reac-
tion upon the stay-at-home himself
constitutes the greater menace to pop
ular government. What care we Tor
the laws who had not enough interest
TO help make them?
Here Is The Answer
Let us find the answer in everyday
horse sense. The man or woman who
helps to build somethlng-who has
his or her share in its formation and
ntenance-whether that something
be home. lodge. a city or an em-
pire, will everlastingly defend 1t n
gainst the onslaughts or opposition.
This is the human side of the propo-
sition; And as America grows. the
priceless treasure of the franchise be-
comes more priceless, and the cores
ponding duty becomes greater.
There is something lacking In civic
consciousness-an element OF devoted
service missing--in n condition that
will permit one-half OF the people to
govern the other half. Let us do our
full duty on November 4, and thus
perpetuate the ideals OF this republic
as emulated by those who have sac
rlficed their lives and fortunes that
we might enjoy the full blessings OF
American liberty.