The Idaho scimitar. [volume] (Boise, Idaho) 1907-1908, 1908-10-03
Press and Comment
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Two Kinds of Options.

Two Kinds of Options.
The subject of local option county option is
bound to engender discussion as the campaign goes
on There is radical difference between the two
and local option has the backing of the democratic
party and county option of the republican party In
discussing the two The Salmon Recorder reasons
well:
If the legislature should be democratic and local
option law was passed where the community or the
municipality were the unit the vote would be in
the locality in which the saloon directly affects. If
the town of Salmon would vote to put the saloon
out of business it would be pretty good evidence
that the preponderance of the sympathy was with
the movement and the officers of the law would be
forced to enforce the law whether they wanted to or
not
In case the republican idea of local aption prevails
it is questionable whether 1t would be made to work
in many of the counties of the state. This would
be particularly true of Lemhi county The effort
to enforce the anti gambling law and the Sunday
closing law in this place in the past two years is
an illustration of what might occur with local op-
ton. The sentiment has largely been in favor of
the enforcement of these laws and the efforts of the
officers in this direction is sustained by the majority
which means the best citizens of the locality.
If the majority of the sentiment was not in IA
of the enforcement of these laws now on the
statute books the efforts of the officials would
be futile 1t would be the same if the saloons were
voted out of business by majority vote in other
sections of the county. while the vote of the town
was in favor of maintaining the saloons, assuming
The Recorder believes in the fundamental princi-
pies upon which this government is founded-that
the majority should rule. When this principle
be made to apply to the smallest possible unit in
civil government then it can be made to work efec-
lively. For the reasons given above The Recorder
believes that the argument is in favor of the plank
upon local option adopted by the democrats All
the expense of the enforcement of this law would
devove upon the local community, and not upon
the county
r.
Troy News: In this issue the prohibtonists of
[atah county have a call for county convention
nnouncing their intention to put full county
ticket in the field. The News is unable to under
Idaho politics. particularly in Latah county, the News
fails to the wisdom of such a move. For years
he prohibtonistS have been standing for a prinCi-
)le, and for years lacked sufficient political
md sound judgment to make the least particle of
Roadway. Little accomplished until the move
nent was taken up by one or the other of the two
I'D parties and crystalized into law Then the
old democratic south went for prohibition and
hops and dlstlller1es put out of business Was it
he prohibition party, working through the prohibit
on party, that accomplished this? Not by any
Means When the democratic party of the south
ook up the fight every prohibition vote in the
outh went to the democratic candidates. 1t was
rnciple not office, the true friends of prohibition
yanted and they showed it by voting for any party
hat stood for the principles. Now the fight has
cached Idaho, and the democratic party in this
ounty have taken position openly and clearly upon
lie question The party not only declared their
osition, but nominated candidates whose personal
ecord is a positive guarantee of the faithful per-
'rmance of every platform pledge.