The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1903-09-26
THE REASON FOR SUSPICION

ity for the statement thar, Gin GER
tain circles an effort is being made
to create the impression that Mr..
Borah is in sympathy with the Ell
forts of the Boise Statesman to dis
credit the proposed appointment OF
Mr.. Woolley as assayer, and Saddle
the responsibility Of the act ~b0n
Senator Hepburn and Congressman
French." The italicised clause
would seem to indicate that Senator
Hepburn and Congressman French
wish to evade responsibility in the
appointment of Mr.. Woolley. This
has not been our understanding of
the situation, but if it be correct
Interpretation then Senator Hepburn
and Congressman French are in a
worse case than the Statesman.
The Statesman's attitude has, to
say the least, been open and cour-
ageous, but Hepburn and French
are made to appear as sneaks and
towards. THE TRIBUNE has la.
bored under the belief that Hepburn
and French assumed their full share
of responsibility, and were we'll sat
isfed with the part they had taken.
If we misjudged those gentlemen,
we are sorry for them and they are
sorry creatures. The Star says
further: mo man in the State re-
grets the attitude of the Statesman
more than Mr.. Borah and no one
has done as much to prevent its
blunder." Was Mr.. Borah afflicted
with regrets before the utter confu-
sion and collapse of the Statesman
or afterwards? It is. doubt upon
this point that has caused a good
many people to suspect that his
sympathies were with that unhappy
journal. The statement that no
one did as much as Mr.. Borah to
prevent the Statesman's blunder
lacks confirmation, because the
Statesman went the full length of
its capacity, which, it must be ac-
knowledged, was prodigious. The
desire to prevent the Statesman
from taking the position it did, may
have been very strong in Mr.. Bor-
abs heart, but he really did not
accomplish anything. But why
should any one be consumed by a
desire to head off the Statesman?
| Was anything momentous hanging
ON its decision? Was the fate Of
the Republican party involved? II
: seems to US that nobody need tc
have been concerned except those
: individuals who had right to be-
lieve that the Statesman's attitude
: would be generally taken as theil
= attitude. Mr.. Borah was in thai
: category, and he should have beer
| prompt to seize the opportunity tc
: place himself right. Instead o
l wasting time in trying to dissuadt
: the Statesman from following it.
D natural bent, he ought to have taker
e immediate and vigorous steps t.
5 vindicate himself. 1t now looks a!
/ though Mr.. Borah and some other.
= hesitated to declare themselves unit
e after the returns came in, and nov
d they are under the painful necessity
: of making explanations. The MOI
e committal policy, for men occupy
/ ing large place in the public eye
It is, under some circumstances, quit
# excuablse and successful, but unde
r others, very dangerous expedient
y The wise politician studies the con
y ditions and acts accordingly. L
/. the Woolley case, leaving out al
IS consideration of the right an
G wrong of it, it required very littl
s Sagacity to understand that anv on
Le who mixes in Republican polite
It had to take one side or the othel
IT the moment the Statesman raise
o the issue. And it required might
lie little knowledge of right and wron
D to indicate which side a conscier
il tious man should take.
-e THE TRIBUNE would not be TN
d derstood as accusing Mr.. Borah c
l. | dupicity or timidity. We simpl