The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1914-09-18
ITO THE DEFEATED CANDIDATE

We extend to you our condolences,
not because you need ii, but because
you may think you do. The shore of
the political sea is strewn with the
wrecks of high hopes and brave ambi-
lions. There are always more defeat
ed than successful candidates. And
the really successful candidate is most
often the defeated one. But, perhaps,
you don't know it and therefore,
don't believe it. But we have tasted
the bitter and the sweet. We know
what it is to feel the joyous pride and
the pleasing thrill of victory; we
also have tread the dry and arid path
with blistered feet and walked thru
the dark valley of humiliation and
defeat. The game is not worth the
candle. The man who is worth the
wages the public pays it's servants is
worth more to himself and others in
some other calling; the man who is
not worth it, is cheating the public
that has been tricked and deceived in
voting for him. Fame is a heartless
f1irt. Her prizes are empty, tinsel-
lated baubles. The rabble that today
sings your praises, strews your con-
quering path with palms and olive
branches, bends the supple knee in
adulation, will tomorrow divide be-
tween them the garments of your
character, gamble upon your reputa-
ton, crown you with thorns, cruelty
you, crush your warm and quivering
heart with ruthless grasp and mock
your noble endeavors to scorn and
humiliation.
If you have lost in this race upon
which you have set your hopes and
your heart, take it philosophically.
Don't let this defeat sour you; keep
sweet. Where two run in a race, one
must lose and it is not always the
worst man, although the poorest vote
getter. But don't blame your defeat
to the Father or the lack of help and
sympathy of your friends or the
knavery and trickery of your enemies.
Lay all the blame to yourself. You
were the issue, not they. If you
prayed for victory, you were foolish
and selfish. Your opponent is as
much the son of the common Father
as yourself Hope and fight for sue
cess-fght CALAMITY, fairly, unceas-
ingly and OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES when
you pray, may your prayer always be
that the best and fittest man for the
place may win. One should always
sacrifice self for the common good.
Our prayers and our desire should
always be, not that we may fill the
high seats, but that we may be placed
where we may do the best and most
efficient service. If we fill the niche
in life where our talents fit us to do
the best and most efficient work, we
shall render the largest service and
ach eve the most enduring fame. If
we, through our bigotry, our pride
or our narrowness, seek to fill the
place that some one better fitted to
do the work should fill, may the
power greater than we so shape af-
fairs that we may be abased and they
exalted
Don't grieve, don't sulk, don't plan
to get even. If we are cheated of our
own through the fraud and knavery
of others, let us not lower ourself to
their level. If we have put up a good,
clean fight-if we have done our best
ours is the gain, theirs the loss.
And we have nothing to cry about.
Let others choose to do as they will,
we should in all things and at all
times be men and play the, manly
part.-The Idahoan.