The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-09-17
SENATOR BoRAH Is MANLY.


SENATOR BoRAH Is MANLY
Those persons and papers that charge
Senator Borah of Idaho with being con
the fence or trimming have not
the slightest justification for the charge.
Those who make il are either guilty Of
misrcprcsenting the Senator and SO Of
bearing false witness against their
peighbor, or they are ignorant Of the
facts
Senator Borah is not man to trim,
TO hedge, or TO straddle the fence on
any political question, In his speech
at Meridian, Idaho. on last Saturday
evening, Senator Borah declared his po
sition so openly, so manfully. and with
such complete candor, TINT those who
wonld like to charge him with evasion
or trimming are utterly put to shame.
Tt is well known that Senator Borah
has been outspoken on all public ques-
tions. and in the speech referred TO he
met squarely the insinuation of his
enemies that he is a trimmer. After
reciting the differences between his
views and those Of President Taft, he
statedt
II they say TO you that Borah Ia trim
ming, that he docs not take stand, ask
them upon what question upou what is-
sue, upon what measure In Congress or
THIS campaign he has failed to take an
open and decided and positive stand Ask
them IL they have any doubt as to what
his position will be on nll these oues-
lions In the coming Congress. What policy
which touches the interests OF the peo-
pie; OF the State have not met openly
ana candidly? Are you yourselves in any
court as 10 my position on eny OF these
questions? If so, state them What
question is there tonight that touches
your interest or your welfare or the well
tare or the people OF this State about
which you entertain any possible doubt as
to my position?
So far from it being the fact that
he has IN any way slurred or obscured
his position or failed to come out be-
cidedly on every question before the
people, the truth is that it is lis indie.
pendence that gals. As he says. lit
IS because I refuse to Weld my views
or modify my position on certain public
questions that thev meaning his
criticsl are dissatisfied with me. II 1
were more uncertain they would be far
more certain as to their support of
me. II 7 were little more unsteady,
they would be more steadfast, Do you
people want representative in the
Senate who is uncertain as TO policies
and viii hitch up to individuals-wh
would yield his views and modify his
opinions to harmonic with the views
Of those whom you do not elect to rep-
resent you7"
In the course of his speech, Senator
Borah directly and manfully challenged
the Republican State Committee of
Idaho, body composed of elected
members from every county in the
State. He, assuming that they repre-.
sent the views and the wishes Of their
constituents, put the question square
ly up to them in this form; 'If
they think 1 am not a Republican and
this organization will meet and so de-
clare, l will decline my candidacy as
| am now nominated. and submit the
question in another way. ] will get
off their ticket aud test it in another
way He stated that he did not wish
to embarrass either the ticket or its
candidates; that If his views and his
ideas Of what constitutes Republican
ism in this campaign ar, not salts
factory TO the organization, he will un-
hesitatlngly accept their verdict and
thereafter will choose his own course
as to how he Will reach the people,
"and we will find out who constitutes
the Republican party in this State
And his final trumpet blast on this
question was in these words: ''But |
say to them now that these are my
views. I shall not change them or
cease to advocate them, ] will tell the
facts in this campaign. | will not be
deferred from doing so by the loss OF
a vote or votes in the legislature -
All this is the straightest kind OF
talk. 1t is open, candid, admirable. 1t
leaves no possible chance for anybody
to say that Borah is n trimmer or
"on the fence Those who make
that charge will do so hereafter at the
peril of their own standing as truthful
men. We consider Senator Borah IS po.
sitlon In this to be beyond the shadow
of question, and to be altogether such
as an honest. candid, courageous man
would take.