The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1912-05-09
Thursday, May 8, 1912.

One of the peculiar features of
journalism in the state of Idaho.
especially among those editors
who claim connection with the
republican party, is the clearly
manifested disposition to "kill
off, +" wipe out and utterly ami
hilate any and all members of
their own party with whom they
may have the slightest disagree
ment in matters of expediency,
or who may in any wise inter
fere with the plans they have
mapped out for the furtherance
OF the political prospects of some
candidate of their choice. They
do not seem to be satisfied with
presenting their views Of a mat
ter before the public in a calm,
clear and forceful manner, or
in extolling the virtues and merits
of the candidate of their selec-
ton to the voters, showing his
superior qualifications for the
office he is seeking, and reason
ing fairly and intelligently with
the people for their moral sup
port and votes on the basis of
the true merits of their favorite.
They seem to prefer taking what
they consider the shorter cut and
proceed to the plan of removing
all distractions, both animate and
inanimate, and cremating them in
the fire of the holy alter erected
to the god which they have Great
ed. In accomplishing this end,
none is too good, or faithful or
useful to party or country to be
Offered up to the political Moloch
by these modern Amonites; and
1T matters not to them that their
next campaign sacrifice may be
their god of this season S worship
the demand of the hour, as they
see it, must be met. The repub-
lican party is naturally greatly
in the ascendency in the state of
Idaho, as it is in the nation, but
how long can it stand up under
this drain in meeting the demands
for these sacrificial offerings9
Such course is wrong even
when practiced against a polit-
zeal enemy-for no good citizen S
character should be willfully as
sailed and his standing and in
fluence killed, though his public
acts may be attack ed-but how
utterly foolish and inexcusible it
is for republican editor to de-
liberately proceed to destroy the
Influence and standing of MEM
Der of his own party whose chief
offense is the fact that he is
either candidate in opposition
to the man whom that editor has
selected as his choice for the
same office, or is a supporter of |
the opposing candidate? An ed
ltor IS not even a consistent and |
sensible party man who will pur-
sue such a course, for every good
and influential man eliminated
from his party weakens the or
just that much, and in
sofar as he assists to accomplish
this end he is lending aid and
comfort to the enemy, to say
nothing of the moral wrong
which he is committing in using
his position as an editor to tear
Town and destroy the reputation
IT fellow citizen. This course
vas pursued two years ago in
he state campaign, and it is now
being practiced in the presiden-
ial preliminaries-it is wrong in
principle and ruinous in practice.
The republican party of Idaho
counts within its ranks as many
Fright and able writers to the
of papers as any state
n the Union, and the wonder is
hat with their admitted ability
o grasp public matters and pre-
ent them clearly and forcibly to
he reading public, that they can
lot assimilate the fact that pres
mt practices along the line dis
ussed is the height Of foolish
less, if no harsher term is used, j
md if persisted in will eventuate
a the destruction of party lines
nd loyalty throughout the en-
ire state. n