Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1910-10-07
THE CAMPAIGN LIAR.

bancroft Dry Farmer:
Before long Idaho will be the
scene Of another political campaign
The forces Of the various parties
Will be marshaled against each
other and meet in conflict.
Ii is deplorable that the election
Of men to serve the people must be
regarded in the light of a-war,
but that is the general view of il.
Ii is a battle for offices, instead Of
friendly discussion Of principles
and plans for their realization.
The previous political campaigns
in this state there has been a great
deal Of bitterness owing to the work
Of the campaign liar. That indi-
yidual seems to be Omnipresent and
lntiring in his efforts. No one
knows whom he is or where he con-
ceals himself. He is working with
equal faithfulness for all parties
and factions. Like LOki. in the
midst of the gods, he is the cause
IF all the troubles and sorrows;
but no one has as yet been able to.
lie him as LOki was tied, with the
CUTS of his own offspring where
The poison Of the serpent, the father
Of lies. might drop into his face.
irop by drop.
The campaign inventor Of false
hoods is at work early and con-
Lmues at it late, always increasing
in inventive genius and vigor as
with the flight of time he grows
old. He always knows that the in
tentions Of the other party, which
ever it is, are bad; he knows all
about the secret agreements that
exist: the secret conferences and
the secret bargains entered into for
the betrayal of the country. How
he knows what is secret is never
explained. But he knows; there Is
no doubt about that. He knows tn
past, present and future Of every
candidate for office and every lead
ing politician, and he always knows
that it is bad. He never knows any
good. or commendable thing about
anyone in the opposition. He only
knows that those on one side are
demons and those on the other are
cherubs and seraphsc. His work,
in the past, has been the cause of
bitterness and enmity, of mistrust
and hatred.
Would it be to expect too much
of the people of Idaho to hope that
they will exert their manhood and
suppress the campaign liar by re
fusing to listen to his falsehoods?
If he found no willing ears he would
have to cease talking. If he found
no soil in which to sow his dragon
teeth he would keep them. Why
should not the people of Idaho in
sist on the genuine grain of facts
and truth in their political gather
ings and organs? Why should they
be content with the husks of n-
verified rumors and surmises, and
hostile inferences and silly dedue-
tons?
Sometimes. we admit, it is dlffl-
cult to differentiate between truth
and campaign falsehOod. The lat
Ter is generally repeated again and
again until the very act of repetl-
ton makes the impression II was
intended to make. 1t is put forth
with brazen assurances, and some
times on the alleged authority OF
men deserving confidence; but not
this the one who wants
truth and truth only will know the
difference between it and false
hood And whenever there Is any
doubt. ii is best to simply refuse TO
believe an evil report. No mistake
is made in refusing to listen to the
of the campaign lie.
rhev ought to be Ostraczed for the
good of the commonwealth