The Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1903-1909, 1908-09-23

tenance violation of pledges by a dele
gate to a convention or representative
in the legislature or any other branch of
this government. | should not allow it,
and | have never spoken a word that
would justify the publication of those
lines.
CHARGE AS TO PLEDGES is UNTRUE
have discussed the question as to
who has the right to pledge a man; as to
the propriety of pledging men, and as
to the power to bind men to certain ac-
ton, but | have never breathed a SEN
tence that could be construed into q
statement or an admission that men are
not bound by their pledges, whether they
be political or personal.
If man were to pledge me to do
something which he had no right to
hold me to do, or if / were to under
take to guarantee the action of man
to do something which had no right to
control him in the doing, that does not
amount to a pledge. That is a mere fic-
ton said that the counties selected
the members of the legislature and that
they were county officers and not state
officers That is true, because your con-
stitution and laws of Idaho make it true,
and you cannot change it by declaring
otherwise in convention or elsewhere
Every county is in itself govern
ment under the constitution of the state.
1t was intended that it should be so by
those who made the constitution They
correspond as regards the states as it
does with reference to the union with
the modification represented by the diff
ference between the constitution of the
state and the constitution of the United
States Our legislature in the state
which makes our laws and elects the
senator's of the United States, but those
legislative bodies are made up of the |
units of counties What is there wrong
in that? What principle of the Re-
publican party is violated by the state
ment of legal fact? For it is true
whether stated or not.
EYES ARE NOT SHUT TO CHANGES.
Were we shutting our eyes, and as
one of the newspapers charges me to-
day, to the fact that the constitution has
been changed by the growth of time and
implication? | think not | stood UP
in that high tribunal, the United States
senate, and took oath | would support
the constitution of the United States
and propose to observe that obligation
You are no less bound to protect the de-
fend the constitution of the United
States because you accept the benefits OF )
government under it.
What is meant by defending and pro-
tecting the constitution of the United
States? That expression does not apply
less to wars or to the threats of foreign
or domestic enemies. 1t applies as we'll
to the observance of the provisions OF
the constitution by each of YOU 1t
binds you to observe the restrictions and
the rules of law made under the con-
stltution, When you break those agains,
larceny you violate the constitution itself
because the law is made pursuant to it
and is only a modified exercise of its
power. If you are guilty of treason you :
do the same.
So | say there is no repeal of the con-
stitution by implication; it never dies :
from inaction; it never lapses for want
Of use, and occupies the same relation to ,
the government of which we are all :
part as the Bible to the religions based .
Upon it. .
MAJORITY is NEEDED TO GOVERN.
You are entitled to participate in this
great function of self government ana
o say at the polls or in the method pre-
'crbed, how you will be governed Your
say is not final; it is merely submitted to
he people with compact that you will I
lbide by the majority's decision You
nay be in favor of a great proposition ,,
If government, but, until a majority of
our fellows agree, your opinion is only !
| personal view, but when the majority {
adopts it, it is rule of action which I
governs the country.
The Republican platform in this state t