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Show THE DUTY OF EVERY VOTER. Heretofore, at elections in this Territory, there has never been a condition of things that called for extraordinary effort on the part of the People's Party, in order to enable them to carry the day. They have been so overwhelmingly in the majority that victory has, of necessity, been theirs at all general elections, held in the Territory thus far, and the assurance that victory would be theirs anyway, has begotten a lethargy in their ranks which has led many of them to neglect, year after year, going to the polls. As a consequence the full force of the People's Party has never been shown at the polls, and it is safe to say that, if the party were to do its utmost at the next election, a vote, higher by at least 25 per cent than any ever yet polled by the party, would be the result. Here in Cache Co. the vote of the People's Party, is usually from 1,200 to 1,600, whereas it is certain that if the People's Party, in all the precincts of the county, would do its utmost to secure a vote from every legal voter belonging to the party, the total would not be less than 2,000. However excusable voters of the People's Party may have been in the past, in neglecting to vote, a condition of things exists in this Territory to-day that renders such negligence severely reprehensible, and that calls for the full strength of the party. Not that there is danger of defeat to that party at the coming delegate election if, it shall be conducted fairly, even under the strictures of the Edmunds law and the Commission's rules. But there is danger that every effort will be made and every device resorted to, to deprive of the franchise those who are still, under existing laws, entitled to it, and there is a strong probablity [probability] that the ranks of the People's Party will be weakened to a greater or less extent, by the illegal tactics of the enemy in securing the erasure of names from the registration lists after having been legally placed there, or in having the vote of precincts thrown out on some pretext or other. It is charged that the people of Utah are ignorant, un-American in their ideas and institutions, and unappreciative of their rights and liberties as American citizens, and now, when so many of them are being deprived of the franchise and those rights that distinguish them from the alien, is a fitting time for them to evince the earnestness with which they appreciate and will contend for their rights and liberties, and this they can most effectively do at the polls. Hence it is that the time has come when the full strength of the People's Party should be forthcoming. Let every man and woman who can truthfully take the oath, suppress their objections to its tyrannical character, take it, and see to it that their names are placed upon the registration list of the precinct wherein they reside. Let so many names be placed upon the registration lists that any fraud or trickery that may give the victory to the minority, will be too glaring to be ultimately successful. That no votes may be thrown out, and that the enemy may have no pretext whatever for anulling [annulling] the work or success of the People's Party at the polls; it is urgently advisable that no person registers or attempts to vote, who is not legally entitled to do so. American citizens who have been disfranchised and stripped of all that distinguishes them from the foreigner, will best serve the cause of right and liberty by submitting to the law, constitutional or unconstitutional, which deprives them of their rights, so long as it shall continue in force. A sweet revenge, however, is within their reach and they may fully satiate their desire for it in a perfectly legitimate way. Let fathers, mothers and citizens who have been disfranchised by the Edmunds law, see to it that their sons, daughters and neighbors who may legally do so, register and vote. Disfranchised citizens may in this way far more than make up to the People's Party for the loss of their own votes, and we confidently expect that they will do it. |