HOW TO VOTE.

White Ribbon, Volume 41, Issue 481, 18 October 1935, Page 1

HOW TO VOTE.

Once more the whirligig of time has brought U 8 face to face with Flection Day. To every (Christian citizen this should Ik: a time for earnest consideration, and yet how lightly it is approached by many and wnat a little tiling will often turn a vote one way or another. For centimes our forefathers battled for the privileges of citizenship, and ♦von them for us. Tacitus tells how our Saxon forefathers gathered in t hence uncils, where every free man hail a right to vote, ami how approval of a measure was expressed by the rattling of their speai. Then those who accompanied Hengesi and Horsa to the conquest of Britain brought the same s>stem with them to the new land. I hit as settlement widened it became impossible lor every free man to attend the Parliament (as their meeting began to l>e called). Then the freemen met and a: reed to elect one of their number to represent them. This continued for •several centuries until it became a scandal. la rge boroughs such as Manchester ami Liverpool had grown up and had no representation in Parliament, while old boroughs had dwindled until only two or three freemen were left. In 1831* was passed the Reform Hill gi\ing ail men who paid a rental of £lO tlie right to vote. This was violently opposed by the conservative party. < )ne freeman remarking that “The free burgesses were throwing away their birthrights.” And the new voters l>ecaine known as ‘*£lo voters.” Other reforms followed, manhood suffrage i>ecame law. Then the property vote was abolished. The property vote allowed owners of property to vote in every electorate where they lul l pro-

perty, one man having as many us 271 votes. Following on from this the law became “one mail one vote.” After this came the long struggle for womanhood suffrage, and in this our Dominion was in tlie van of progress. .Such, in brief, was the long struggle for the right to vote. Now this privilege lias been won for every British subject over 21 years of age, with the exception only of criminals and those mentally afflicted. But how many realise the fact that privileges bring with them corresponding responsibilities! Many treat these so lightly that they do not take the trouble to exercise their Note. Privileges won by heroes of the past so lightly treated by those for whom they worked. To many in the past the “unliorn millions” were a reality, and to secure better government lo these they sacrificed their leisure, their pleasures, and sometimes even life itself. And are we worthy of what they spent for us? One thinker descrilied Heaven as *‘A prepared place for a prepared people." And if we wish to establish the Kingdom of Heaven upon this earth we must get (1) a prepared people and (2) a prepared environment. The preparing of the people involves education and example and is largely a personal matter. In the preparing of the environment. concerted action by legislation is called for. Miss Frances Willard said the W.C.T.U. is an organisation of Christian women united for the protection of their homes, the abolition of tin liquor traffic, and the triumph of the Holden Rule “in custom and in law." There are women who would tight for the protection of their homes who yet will not admit the need to vote for it. Many do not realise the vital need to alndish the liquor traffic. They do

not study the facts. Here is a trade licensed to sell a poison, and which can only secure dividends I>\ training tinyouth to buy its poison, and whose financial interests it is to increase the sale of this poison. In this Dominion w** have a referendum upon National I‘rohihition, the only country so highly favoured. Surely all Christian women will agree that before the Kingdom of (iod can Ik* established upon this earth ♦he licensed evils must be abolished. While we license gambling and liquorselling, can we expect an environment that will favour the preparation of youth to In* citizens of the Heaveiil> Jerusalem? May we urge our sisteis to let no issue side-track them. The brewers are using the. I'.S.A. situation to tell voters prohibition is an evil and a discredited issue. This is open to question. Kansas State has had prohibition for over half a century. It has two generations who have grown up without the l>aneful influence of the licensed traffic. Kansas has 105 counties, of these 51 have no insane nor feeble-minded, 96 have no poorhouses, 53 have no one in jail, and •36 have none in the penitentiary. Several counties have combined to have one gaol between them. Is it any wonder that Kansas gave a majority of 89,044 to remain dry? The ‘Daily News’* of Illinois says in a leading article: “Repeal is not a howling success. As sure as the sun rises in the Fast and sets in the West, Prohibition will come back unless there is a marked improvement in drinking conditions, and it had better come soon.” (The black is ours.) Because the Liquor Trade refused to ol>ey the vote of the majority and keep tin* law - , is that a reason for ns to vote for the continuance of the traffic here?

With brazen effrontry the brewer says: “If you win prohibition on 3/sth majority we will not obey the law.” Well, they don’t obey the law now, as anyone who reads the daily papers can see. Whenever a pub sells after 6 p.m., sells to anyone under 2! or to a prohibited person, he is sly grog selling. Under a dry law we may have sly grog selling for a time, as we nave it now, certainly not worse. And row we have the double evil, the licensed bar and the sly grog trade. Don’t l>e misled. The oi>en bar does not abolish sly grog selling, it encourages it. Liquor dealers are spending huge sums in advertising; and a British Royal Commission has gone on record tlicit ‘The bulk of liquor advertisements are palpable sclent s *’* untruths.” In a Scottish (taper appeared an advertisement stating that 10.000 doctors recommended Wincarnis. A gentleman wrote to the firm who advertised and asked for the names and addresses of 1000 doctor recommending it. He received no reply. After an interval he wrote again asking for 100 doctors recommending it. Still no reply; and after waiting a fortnight he wrote and asked for 10 doctors who recommended Wincarnis. Then came a post card with this reply, "Mind your owm business.” When a Christian woman marks her referendum the only question she needs to ask is this: "Will the licensed liquor trade be a benefit to :>’ir Dominion, and will it help to create an environment favourable for the upbringing of our youth?” And on the answer to that question rests your vote. Hut we have two voting papers, one is for the candidate who is to represent us in Parliament. And many things are advanced to cloud the issue here and render it difficult to make a decision. But let us clear the position. If we put good Christian men and women into Parliament we will get good legislation. Do not be led astray by the cry to suptort the party. Can you admire a man professing to lie a follower of the l»rd Jesus (*hrist who will vote for a measure which his conscience condemns liecauae the party whip tells him to do so? In plain English, shall a M.P. obey the law of God or the crack of the Party whip? If you record your vote for a man who Is financially interested in the sale of liquor, will he help you to protect >our home from its evil consequences? There are other questions of natioiu.l righteousness to l>e considered, and we are responsible for our ignorance. We must not only vote but must vote intelligently. Is legislative encouragement of gambling likely to make for home protection? Do we wish to rear a nation of gamblers? Then there is the question of Bible teaching in our schools. Whatever system may be adopted some will find matter for controversy. But all Christians will agree that the banishment of ‘he Holy Bible from om schools is a wrong to teacher and to child. What standard of conduct can be given without a 'Tine sailli the Lord?”

When the Government can give a letter rule of conduct than the Ten Commandments, amplified by the Sermon on the Mount, and a better reason for its enforcement than "Thus saita the laird,” then, and only then, have they the right to banish the Bible from our schools. Like many other lands we suffer from a lack of leaders. Leadership is costly. It demands your time, your talents, your all. I.#et us pray that Cod may send us such statesmen to lead our people in the paths of righteousness. Not politicians with a narrow vision and ..a eye upon the spoils -what they can yum for self, or that wider self, "my electorate” But men of vision, who countless of personal gain, will woik for the good of all. This will probably l>e my last word to my "White Ribt>on” sisters before they record their vote. May I give you as a talisman to carry with you a slightly altered version of the Eastern farewell, "Go with God.” To one and all who desire to bring in that righteousness which exalts a nation, and to Itanish that sin which is a reproach, to any people I say. VOTE WITH COD.