The Idaho scimitar. [volume] (Boise, Idaho) 1907-1908, 1908-05-30
The Idaho Daily Statesman.

about the democratic party of Idaho under the head
ing "a Negative Party"
Here is its initial declaration
The attitude of large element of the democrats o.
Idaho at this time is typical of democracy generally
After laboring for six years build up an issue they
are now just as busy tearing it down.
Last year the democrats of the state seemed tc
have this issue perfected just to their liking and they
presented united front to the opposition declaring
that the question they had raised was the paramount
one before the voters
The Statesman knows that great reformatory
issues in state or nation difficult to plant. The
Statesman appreciates the fact that the American
people slow, but sure in taking hold of any grave
question, the results of which are to bring about
radical changes.
The Statesman knows too that at the launching of
this struggle six years. ago. it was with the expecta-
ton the part of those impressed by the patriotic
necessities of the situation that the battle would be
protracted one, and that in the end it would win,
it eterna11y right This it knows, because it
was not only present at the Weiser convention but it
heart and soul in the fight only with all its
editorial and news space, but it making its then
afternoon paper, The Daily Bulletin work 'overtime
in declarations of the sublime Righteousness of the
anti-Mormon issue in Idaho politics.
In its declaration above it states the fact that
the issue firmly planted by the democratic party
IN the last state campaign and it was planted a
solid, dignifed basis, where it is destined to
stand until the aims sought accomplished.
Because of the abandonment of the fight on the part
of the Statesman in the midst of the patriotic conte
tion Cfor what history c1oaks), and because
forsooth two democrats who campaigned in the cause
of Idaho democracy, including the Mormon ISSUE in
the last state campaign have abandoned the fight,
is no sort of reason why the democratic party should
now be charged with being ga Negative Party"
Secondly, the Statesman editorial says:
They Indignantly denied that law and order or any,
thing else except the Mormon question could be an
issue and every in their ranks who knew how to
raise his voice to effect upon the stump out tell
ing the people that they must lay aside all questions
of national party policy in order to purify Idaho pol
iticS.
This is not a correct statement The Statesman
tried in vain to make the democrats appear as party
of the "dynamiter" 1t fell far short of its purpose
There were two vivid reasons why it effort in this
false direction fell far short of the mark One was
the democratic party candidates. The other was,
the democratic platform.
The democracy in state convention two years ago.
clear, positive and distinct in its declaration on
the subject of law and order, as the Statesman is
pleased to it, while the republican party was as
silent as the grave, assuming decidedly negative
course on what the Statesman insisted was vital
issue AS matter of fact it was not an issue at ALL
between the success of the two parties in the last
state election.
The Stateman knows further that its statement
that every man in their ranks who knew how to
raise his voice to effect upon the stump out
telling the people that they must lay aside all ques-
tons of national party policy in order to purify
Idaho politics. is not correct
The Statesman knows that there is coterie of
democrats, small to be sure, which has been persist
emily refusing to support the democratic party for
eight years past two years before this issue
lrougt before the people Of the state bv the aggress