The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1909-10-15
BORAH, VICE PRESIDENT
Idaho Should Gladly Make
Sacrifice
FOR THE GENERAL WELFARE
Bartlett Sinclair Favors Boom of
ldahO's Talented Statesman.
To the TRIBUNE:


The suggestion which recently ap.
peared In the Spokesman Review
looking TO the nomination Of Senator
W. Il. Borah as vice President In
1912 has received something akin to
a jolt at the hands OF the Idaho
press. The Tribune is amongst the
papers which does not encourage the
idea. As your correspondent is one
OF MANY who. for long time, has
considered this nomination wise and
feasable | may appropriately say a
word or two more on the subject.
Senator Borah has never been con.
suited so far as am aware about the
matter at all. The scheme is not
advanced especially in the personal
interests of Senator Borah, aud while
he would, Of course, have the mos,
far reaching individual concern In IT,.
nevertheless, The state, the west and
the entire country are SO vitality con
cerned that any man must be put in
the back ground. This was the broad,
national and patriotic, impersonal
motive which prompted the sugges.
tion. For the good of the whole
nation Idaho could well part with
the distinction of having Senator
Borah as a senator. No question but
that Idaho would in sense be the
loser should Senator Borah be passed
over To the naticn as vice president
or for that matter as president, yet.
IT S one of those sacrifices that a
patriotic commwealth ought not t.
hesitate to make. 1t IS purely d
national affair.
1t is pleasing to note that all the
objections to the candidacy of Sena-
tor Borah go on the theory that his
great talent ought to be continued
where it has done US already SO much
good. His excellent fitness for this
great Office of vice president is every
where, in Idaho and the nation
generally, granted. We simply don't {
want HIM taken from active partici.
patton on the floor Of the senate, it /,
contended, and | see also from COM
lnents in several eastern papers, not
challenging Senator Borah's strength,
that Idaho is too remote for SO great
an honor. On the ground of states
manship, force OF character and
reputation the nomination would bt
exceptionally good, it is universally
agreed.
It is grave mistake to assume
that the vice presidency is minol
position not calling for the highest
quality of political ability. I'm
fortunately the great office in rare
Instances has been degraded b.
political leaders 10 order to insure
party solidarity. II has been done al
the cost OF the country's advance
ment and national dignity. II
several cases men of inferior worth
have been nominated and elected Il
the vice presidency simply to placatt
few ,disgruntled political bosses
disappointed in the selection Of ;
presidential candidate. While thi,
is to be regretted, it has not beef
common in our political life, and i
! is to be hoped in the future a more
careful and wiser course by ou
national conventions will lead to /;
right estimate of the vice presidenc,
and to the nomination always of mel
worthy in all respects of the frs
place. It is not an Office without tn
| very greatest honor, and was no
unit til occasionally prevented to ~ronl
political purposes, deemed to be
tomb or shelf for weak and objection
able statesman, or sop for politica
recalcitrantS.
We should bear in mind that sncl
men as John Adams, Thomas Jeffer
son, John G. Calhoun, George Clinton
Ellridge Gerry, Martin Van Buren,
Millard Fillmore, Hannibal Hamblin
Henry Wilson, Thos. A. Hendricks
! Theodore Roosevelt and other grea
statesmen in their days were vic
nresidents and apr reciated the dis