Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 December 1884 — The Importance of One Vote. [ARTICLE]

The Importance of One Vote.

The importance of one vote is forgotten when heavy ma jorities roll in for the favorite candidate, but when he scrapesjhrough or is defeated by a bare majority of a small and uncomfortable figure then ‘the might ha ve beens’ rise up to accuse and breed discomfort to one’s feelings. The closeness of the Illinois Legislature—now doubtful, and at the best one way or the other only by a bare ma jority of one or two, and that ono depending UDon one vote more or less gathered from Chicago, a city of half a million of people—is the latest illustration|of the importance of one vote The Jeffersonville News relates an iustance where one vote elected a Representative, a Un ted States Senator, ana, nerhaps, annexed TexasJto the United States, The News gets its information from Hon. Dan Blotchei, of Holman, Scott county, Ind. It was in 1846, whenJHam Davis was t ie Democratic candidate for the Legislature in that county. Just before the polls closed Wm. H.

English asked Mr. Blotclier if he knew any voters who had not voted. He said ‘yes, there was Wash Owens, but the darned beggar wouldn’t come because he had no boots.’ Mr. English insisted that Blotcher should get Owens, so he started for him. Owens refused to come to the polls because he had no boots, but Blotcher by a deal of persuasion got Owens to start on the promise that he would lend him his boots. Accordingly, when the pair got within a mile of Lexington, Blotcher pulled off his boots and loaned them to Owens. In those days it was universally the custom to treat voters, and “Owen* received his dram and fifty cents, leaving Blotcher standing barefoot in the cornfield started for the polls. He voted and then proceeded to invest his fifty cents in Jersey l'ghtning. The (consequence was that Owens got gloriously drunk and forgot all about Blotcher’s boots. This was a m difica* tion of Daniel in the lion’s den. It was Daniel’ bare foot in the corn-field, and|heat length grew lonely, and started after Owens with red vengeance in his eye. Of course it was using mild language to say that Blotcher was mad.— But when the ballots were counted and Hiram Davis was found to be elected by a majority of one, then Uncle Daniel’s wrath was changed to rejoicing. Hut this was not the only good result. In the contest for United States Senator, Edward C. Hannegan was elected by one majority, and Hannegan’s vote annexed Texas, bringing or ifee Mexi can war. We doubt if ever a bootless Democrat before or afterward exercised such an important influence oyer the destinies of his country. It should teach every man that his vote is important

The duty of the hour is the banishment of fanaticism from the people of this country. For years unscrupulous partisans and political parsons have taught their fellow men to look upon Democrats as the scum of society. It devolves, upon Democrats to eradicate j£io wicked and foolish idea from the min d:s of persons who have thus been misled.— ▲ good deal of patience and forbearance may be required' to do this, but discretion and' wise action will sooner or later bring about the desired result Statistics show that 95 per cent of the working population of Germany earn less than $1 a day. Now let some jfrotectionlst point out the part that Germany’s high tariff plays in this business. Europe can not begin to get along without United States meat.