Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1914-10-29
Borah and His Letters to Re-
publican State Chairman Dav

- Dut Ieel very earnestly
that II these facts as published are true
or substantially true, Mr.. Allen ought
TO resign from the ticket. 1t would not
do' IN my judgment, to pursue the
course OF permitting him to straighten
up the loan and actually protect the
state III dollars and cents, and then ask
the voters to give him another lease
OF power. l do not know that these
Iacts published are true, and it may be
possible that it is wholly unjust ac.
cusation against Mr.. Allen; if so. we
should stand by him. But unless the
facts are strictly in accord with honest
square dealing, and in accordance with
the public interest and the public wei.
fare there should be no alternative AZ
to what should be done. He should get
off the ticket. A mere setting up of
the question would not be sufficient.
1t will not do to say to the people of
rthe state of Idaho that one who delib.
erately setting about to defraud the
public SECRETLY or clandestinely, en-,
gineered dishonest transaction. NAV
purge himself by simply paying up
when caught. l write this letter out Of
personal feeling, of course, because 1
have always been personally friendly
to Mr.. Allen, but | write not alone in
the matter OF tfe republican party but
In the interest of good, clean govern
ment and decent party organization. 1
am sure that you and your associates
will pardon me in offering the sugges-
tiOn. 1t is offered in the friendliest
spirit and with best wishes for sue
cess.
Very respectfully,
WILLIAM e. BORAH.o
October 5, 1914.
My dear Mr.. Day: l have your let.
ter in which you advise me that the AL
len matter has been settled, as it were,
by paying up. l must confess this is
great disappointment to me and very
discouraging. l have no doubt that the
committee, which you say passed upon
the matter, acted in the best of faith,
and l would not think for a moment of
questioning the motives of those men
whom trust implicitly; but must be
candid with you and say that l think
it is great mistake. Mr.. Allen ought
to have been requested to get off the
ticket and if he did not do SO it was the
duty of the organization to see that he
was defeated at the polls. 1t is an in
defensible principle of public morals
to seek to impose upon the public an
other term of service of a man who con-
fesses by his settlement that he is
guilty of the original shortage. Neither
you nor any other business man would
for moment think of re-employing a
clerk who had undertaken through
clandestine methods to get hold of
something that did not belong to him.
The fact that he settled the transaction
after he was caught might ameliorate
your feelings so that you would not
insist upon an incarceration in the peni-
tentiary, but you would hardly re-em-
ploy him and put him next to your
funds aain. Now, we have tremend-
Gus trust fund entrusted to the admins
tration of the state, and it is our duty
to guard it with the utmost vigilance.
The greatest trust fund of the state
coming from the sale of public lands
and subject to management by public
officials, belong to our children and our
children s children. we are careless
or Indifferent as to the conduct of
those who have to deal with it in its
early history, how long will it be until
there is built around this great trust
fund a coterie of petty larceny thieves.
We owe it not only to the party, Day,
but We owe it to the people of the state
of Idaho, to see that the man who is in
different and careless as to the use OF
that fund and its management is re-
tired to private life. You saw that he
has been determined to stay on the
ticket and that the matter as under
stand you, is beyond the control Of the
committee. Well, Day, 1t Is. not be-
yond the control of the voters, and it
it not only the duty of the voters to
defeat Mr.. Allen, but it is a sole duty
of the organization to see that he Is
defeated. So far as am concerned,
simply will not overlook such matters. |
I shall not bother you or the committee
again about it, but shall adopt my own |
course with reference to dealing with |
such matters. No one viii be responsi-
BILE for what I do except myself. The
matter of making Mr.. Coleman the
scapegoat Is not at all palatable to me.
Who is responsible for Mr.. Coleman
and the position which he held2 The
perfectly familiar with MIR. Coleman
and his history. want to say in con-
nection with that 1 am writing under
as much restraint as / can put upon
myself. l do not want to hurt the feel
ngs of those whom l respect so highly,
and the thing grows upon me. l think
such things are bigger than any party. I
They appertain to persons convic-
lions of public decency and public
morals. I conclude by saying that | re-
peat it is the duty of the republican
organization to see that Mr.. Allen is
at the polls.
Very respectfully,
WILLIAM E. BORAH.o