The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1914-05-07
THE EMMETT INDEX.
The Judges MUSINGS
TOPICS OF THE TIMES

Senator Borah and Representative
French have, each in his way, made
political breaks in relation to the Mex
lean situation-the one on the side
of patriotic zeal, the other on the side
of partisan narrowness. Senator
Borah has spoken in favor of a war
of conquest, and predicts the acquisi-
ton by the United States, not only of
Mexico, but of all territory southwark
to the Panama Canal, Mr.. French
has voted against approving the pre-
sident's plan to force proper respect
to the American flag. Senator Bor-
ah may be forgiven for an excess of
zeal; Mr.. French will hear of his
action again in September There
have been men who, in the fervor of
debate, have declared chat there is
only air enough between the north |
and the Isthmus of Panama to float !
one flag"-and this declaration, while /
not approved, has been overlooked 4
as merely an error of judgment con-
sistent with good intentions. But
there have been very few public men
who have regarded it as their duty to
oppose the national honor because that
honor was being sustained by a pre-
'ident of opposite political faith, and
who have not afterwards been re-
minded of the fact in an emphatic
way when seeking further public ia
'ors. Mr.. French's course of action
5 not approved by the Republican |
'ress. 8
The high rate of interest in Idaho is {
subject that often excites comment |
rom the stranger and the pilgrim. v
he man down East frequently asks S
Or an explanation, and some of the C
Splanations are fearfully and wonder c
lily made. This is not at all strange "
view of the fact that there is no il
-oblem in political economy over a
hich there is so much dispute as the ri
IbJect of interest. Some half dozen fl
eories are put forward to explain te
ny capital yields interest, and each OF
these theories has able expounders. m
few take the ground that there in
ould be no interest at all-that the in
ining of money at interest is moral tn
wrong This was the opinion of pr
hovah when he gave his views on In
2 subject to Moses on Mount Sinai. sn
e commandment, "Thou shalt not of
I'd upon usury to thy brother" for tn
lie the taking of interest, the word to
sury" there having exactly the en-
ne import as the word "interest" CO.
h u.s. The ancient Jews did not ba
,e interest from each other, but go
lcted it from strangers. The Chris of
n church, until very recent times, tn;
lowed the Mosaic Law as to inter-
and forbade all taking of interest vii
money. This fact is what made Ids
Jews the bankers of the Middle pr
es-their faith allowed them to ex- 1t
interest from Christians, while me
Christians were forbidden to take in
interest at all. However, time ney
economic necessity have repealed fru
divine" command; and now both tim
s and Christians, with few excep- cha
S, are unburdened of any re- nee
.ints except such as the legislature a s
imposed. pro
here seem to be several things imp
may affect the rate of interest sch,
ny given community. First, 'tere cou
he modern usury laws, fixing coul
imum rate beyond which con- scht
to pay interest is either maze arti
or subject to penalties. 1t is v,ry sph,
tionable whether such laws ahould rate