The Caldwell tribune., 1900-07-28
THE COLLAPSE.

Y
gence and integrity Of 4 considera-
bic majority Of the people Of Idaho
have been the playtliings Of A po-
litical frerGy which deafened their
ears TO the voice of reason, and
blinded their eyes to the shameful
antics which mistaken notions and
inscriptions leaders inspired them
to perform They viii now calmly
survey the past, and III the melan-
choly retrospect be unable to mark
one creditable act or discern a sing
lie object upon which reflection can
repese without pain and hnnilia-
ton. -Four years of political in
sanity and public debauch is the
fruit of fusion and the wages Of a
pretended reformation. Last week
at PocatellO the Union of Reform
Forces were gathered to approve
and confirm the work they had
wrought and the almost unani-
inptts Judgment was expressed in
acts of bitter condemnation. Let
us review in some detail the salient
features Of the Pocatello conven-
tions in order, not to censure, but
TO extract useful lessons for future.
guidance. Those conventions were
assembled ostensib1y for the pur-
pose Of, by union Of forces, adj
vancing certain political principles
held. in common by different politi-
cal organizations. The establish
ment Of these principles in practice
was held to be vital to the welfare
of a nation of seventy millions of
people. Love for those principles
had caused men like Fred Dubois,
julie Basset, c. ]. Arney and Jake
Horn to tear themselves away from
old political associations when ev-
cry tear meant the swapping of a
heart string. Devotion 10 these
principles had compelled those
noble, self-sacrifcing patriots to
turn away from their life's political
love, and, with the sluggish tears
of sorrow trickling down their
cheeks, cry out in their woe,
would to God this cup might pass. !"
Loyalty to those principles had i'm
PEELED the pure in heart of the an
gelic hosts of Populism to enascu-
late their divine and perfected creed
in order that it might mingle and
blend with the vicious dogma Of
Democracy. And Democracy, the
proud and unyielding offspring of
Jefferson and Jackson, expanded
itself until every band was broken
to make room for what it considered
to be the riotous vagaries of half
baked political dreamers. All these
pains and penalties endured in the
name Of principle? hut throughout
the weary windings, turnings and
contortions of that Pocatello con
ventioh nowhere is found one word
about principle. 1t cannot be dis
covered that principle had any
where even a local habitation in all
the bodies there assembled. There
was MO discussion, no agreement OF
disagreement on any question re-
lated to principle. The battle ragged
about the offices. The conference
committees wrestled only with the
problem of office. Nobody troubled
himself about principle; nobody
thought about it; but there was nc
end ofanxiety about what became
of the Offices, On this subject alone
was there any disagreement, and
because of this scramble the union
of reform forces was smashed. Il
must now be clear to everybody
i
that the only bond which cemented
the union was common love o.
office, love which had become 6
greedy infatuation. Nowhere il
the history of political debauchery
will you find a more disgracefu
scramble for Office than that at Pc
catello last week. There was MOI
even pretense of any other motive
in any of the three conventions. Il
was barefaced and shameful prop