Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 71, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 May 1908 — CULTIVATE FIRST VOTERS. [ARTICLE]

CULTIVATE FIRST VOTERS.

’4. ' ' ■" < Not until the national conventions have nominated the presidential candidates will the big political campaign of the year be started fairly. The personalities of the chief banner-bear-ers have their influence on the making up of the popular mind hardly less than the political principles of the parties opposed. In Indiana the state party platforms and the candidates that stand on them are now before the electorate. It were well for all Republicans to remember the fact and realize that each one has many opportunities for quiet evangelistic work from now until November 3rd. The big orators of the party will haVe their opportunities later, but the individual citizen has a constant chance to promote his party’s success and the realization of what he thinks best for state and country. In this presidential year the missionary mandate should be accepted by all. And it is wonderful what effective work can be done by the individual; there is none without influence, and few realize how far their precept and their practice reach. The small pebble dropped in the big pool raises ripplea that race to the farthest shore.

In the field of first voters is the big opportunity. There the grain is good and it is whitening now for the harvest. We will- speak to the .first voter especially at length later, but daily now the older Republican can cultivate the ground. It is no stretching of figures to say that close to half a hundred thousand young men of Indiana will cast their first ballot for a president in November. Among first voters there are never any stay-at-hofaes on election day; the great privilege of the franchise is manfully and joyfully exercised by all erf them. The total number of voters now in the state as returned to the state auditor and published by him last week is 745,254. In the last general election, four years ago, the number of votes cast in Indiana for all presidential candidates wdfe 682,185. The difference in the figures Is 63,069. There are now 81,160 more voters in Indiana than cast their ballots for McKlhley and Bryan in 1900, and going back to the great Campaign of 1896—when Mr. Bryan had ,hls first baptism of defeat—there are today no. less than 102,119 more men entitled to vote in this state this year than voted twelve/ years ago. Read the figures Over aghin and you can appreciate what may be done among the first yoters of 1908. » Time was when political principles and party affiliations descended from father to son; they were inherited and were as hereditary as the color’ of eyes or shape of nose or manner of speech and walk. But that has changed In great measure. And with the

change has come a distinct advantage to the Republican worker. The first voter of this year was .a boy of nine when the name of William Jennings Bryan was in everyone's mouth. He was still a schoolboy during the campaign of 1900. He became more familiar with the nameahd fame of the present president of the United States. Many first voters in 1896 and who wore the Bryan button are still Wearing it, but the young man who at--, tains his majority this year or who has reached it within the past four years has been educated to know how tittle the Democratic party has ever done for the country. Sons and grandsons of Democrats have been educated so in wondtaßilly large numbers: Many of these young men have heard Mr. Bfyan preach or lecture and &elr minds may have been stirred by his mellifluous speech. But oratory and statesmanship are different gifts, and the young man should be prompted to analyze the difference. “Fine words butter no parships," and the first voter should be shown quietly by his older friends that plain horse sense on matters political is generally absent from th? flowers of speech affected by spellbinders. Not much special pleading is needed this year. The issues ate plain and easily to be discerned. The Republican party has done things. It.has been long in power in nation and state and its acts are known of all men. Its main reason presented this .year-to back up Its request for a continuance of popular favor and support is its record of work done. It is Republican performance against Democratic profession. There should be no hesitancy in choosing. A prompt decision should be reached when it is seen, as It is, how many doctors are in the Democratic party and. that no two of agree on the ills that afflict the nation, while all of them say that the country is in very bad condition. The (Halins of the Democrats are such as to make a young man laugh. At another time we will speak of the first voter and how he is prone to look on the nation and the administration of Its government

The saloon Interests, under the guise of temperance workers and Prohibitionists, are very apt to visit you during the campaign and urge j'ou to sign some kiiid of a card, or agreement, providing some other fellow does, bearing upon how you shall vote at the coming election. Do not be misled into signing anything, or any right away you may have. Your vote is dwn and yon have a right to exercise the same when you enter the booth. —Covington Republican. i Subscribe for the Republican and Journal.