THE CITIZEN'S DUTY

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVII, Issue 25, 30 January 1913, Page 4

THE CITIZEN'S DUTY

At the last Presidential election in the United States, as on former occasions, an expression frequently heard was: "I sha'n't take the trouble to vote.". We have heard the same expression here in New Zealand at election times, with various explanatory tags, such as "I don't agree with any of the candidates," or "What's the good of voting?" or, again, "One side is just as bad as the other." This curious abnegation of the individual right, and, let us add, duty of record ing a vote when Parliamentary representatives have to bo chosen is very foolish; but it is by no means uncommon. _ In America the abstention practice has received a very effective denunication from Mr Munsey, the editor and chief proprietor of Munsey's Magazine. Mr Munsey puts the ethical and .common-sense sides, of the question in tersely vigorous language. He says: "If you are a voter, it is your duty to vote. There is no excuse for failure It you think you are 'too good' to mix xn the sorry business of governing your country, then you're too bad to live in that country. If you think you re too intelligent to take part in j such a common performance of lowbrowed folk—well, if you think that, ! you just merely aren't intelligent at all. Jr you think you're too ignorant then it s up to you to inform yourself as best you can. Anyhow, vote. Vote your opinions and nobody else's on earth. : .. Don't make excuse that 'my vote will make- no difference.' Even ir that bo so, and it may not be you'll be a better citizen for taking the trouble to do your part. It ought not be necessary to fine people For not voting, yet there are hundreds of thousands who regularly and de-i nberately neglect this important duty ' it might be worth while to impose a capitation tax, and remit it to those voters who vote, making the nonvoters pay. Still, a vote that must be penalised to get it- out might be of doubtful value. The thing needed is ■to get every voter to do his duty from a sense of duty, and nothing more it you have a neighbor who threatens not to vote, persuade him to do i* Kven if he votes against you, it wili bo good for you. for him, and for tho community for him to vote."-* These

remarks apply as aptly to a poll of the ratepayers of Blenheim as to the biggest election of the biggest republic in tho English-speaking world.