The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1911-01-06
THE BOOZE IN OUR TOWN

THE BOOZE IN OUR TOWN
1t is being said, and truthfuly, toe
that booze is being sold in Blackfoot
and naturally a representative, self
governing people who have by legis
latiye enactment provided for suc]
business to cease, are asking why /
Is allowed.
The answer is rather tedious. i
describes conditions that involves tn,
principle expressed by Patrick Henri,
when he said, Eternal vigilance Il
the price -" 1t shows that ener
gy and patience and tenacity of pu,
pose are necessary to carry out the
work already begun, and in this pro.
cess Americans are noted for LETTING
things go to such extremities that
needless sacrifices must be made to
secure their own or what was origin
ally ordered and of right expected.
It is one thing to sharpen an ak
and lay it at the wood pile. It ia
quite another thing to get the wood
cut and split.
Bingham county has, through its
vote at the polls, sharpened the
ak and laid it at the wood pile, and
1t is only fair to expect results from
its public servants, but in this they
must rely upon process of law, and
law takes its own sweet time.
Filed on the criminal docket of
the district court are some fifty CON-
plants, most of them against citizens
Of Idaho Falls and Blackfoot. When
these came up for review at the time
OF setting cases for trial there were
fled the affidavits of several thousand
citizens of the county saying that a
fair trial could not be had in Bingham
county, and asking for a change of
venue to- some other county. The
showing was SO strong in na;St Of
NUMBERS .n1 ,.ns, re ao great daeeit,e -vr
nutriment..-.sac Judge acting in rea-
son would be called upon to grant the
change The prosecuting attorney
said that perhaps as easy affiidavits
could be secured to show that fair
trial can be had in this county, and
rather than let the cases go to some
other county for trial he asked time
in which to secure such counter afr
davits. He was given until the first
of January to do so, and now the
term of court has been completed
and they must wait until next term.
The sheriff says he has sufficient evil
dence to secure convictions and is
ready for trial at any time.
The city officials are being critic
lied for not proceeding with prosecu-
tons on their own account, and while
the police officers are ready and will
ing to do their part, the city council
hesitates about starting prosecutions
and involving expense with no GER
tainty of securing convictions and
with the further prospect that fines,
II levied and paid, will go to the state
and not to the municipality. And
while there is merit in the argument,
we consider this lame kind of pa
triotism, and exactly the brand that
the violators of the law are wishing
for.
If the City of Blackfoot has not
spunk enough to gather in those who
openly violate the law in the town,
it ought to inject little tobasco
sauce into itself and see who runs
the town.
There are objections to be enter
tanned to any move that might be
made, and personally We have pa
thence with all of them. OF course
the old soaks must have something
to drink, and If the boot Logging is
carried on in such a way that
new. customers are not being
made, it does not appeal to
us as condition that need raise
alarm, but so long as men insist that
It is worse for educating new drunk
ards than under the license system
there is occasion for serious thought.
We do mot think 1t: is, but we
are frank enough to admit that we
do not know all about it. s
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