American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1914-11-05
THE ELECTION AND IT'S LESSONS.

The election is past and has brought its lessons with
it. Chief among these is that to succeed all parties must
put forward men above suspicion, and must deal fairly
with the voters. Governor Haines undoubtedly owes his
defeat to the suppression of the Allen loan. Had he and
the state land board called upon Allen to take up the loan
as soon as it was brought to their attention in May of last
year they would have been given credit for doing their
duty and the party would have escaped the cause of the
only mreited censure that was brought against it during
the campaign. The state land board does not merit crit
lcism for having made the loan. The loan was made by
the Hawley land board, and there was nothing on its face
to indicate that there was anything wrong or improper
connected with it. The money was not paid until the adj
minstration of Haines had begun, but all it had to do was
to examine the title of the land offered as security and re-
ceive the a~ppraisement, and both were regular and showed
that due precautions were taken to protect the interests
Of the state. In May following the paying over of the mon
ey suspicion was directed to the loan, and d quiet investi-
cation was made which connected Allen as closely with the.
loan as he has ever been connected. While absolute proof
was lacking circumstances pointed so Enthusiastically to AL
len as to remove all doubts in the minds of men who had
all the information bearing upon the matter. The Boise
Statesman had this information. The Capital News also
had this information. Governor Haines and the men,
bers of the state land board had this information, and for
different reasons kept it from the public. The adminiStra-
ton remained silent, undoubtedly, to protect itself from
criticism. The Statesman remained silent, possibly, in
pursuance of its policy Of absolute neutrality in primary
elections. The Capital News unquestionably remained 81
lent in order to have something ION" the administration
in the hope of gaining political advantage during the cam
paign. Thus the primaries were permitted to pass with
out a whisper having reached the public. All at once Mr..
v Ill NlctH nltut AZ ulSCONtiN llib c ldl kuDWn q MANY
months, and ON the strength of it tried to elect himself
state auditor. He failed as he should have failed. The peo-
pie, in the meantime, had become Informed, and melted out
their own punishment. They did not believe AleXander's
extravagant promises regarding taxation, but turned to
him to punish Governor Haines for having failed to nc
when he should have acted. Al the same time they rebukcd
the Progressives for claiming a virtue which they had for
advertising purposes only.
The result in the county shows that the people appre-
ciate good service on the part of county official, and That
the way to gain their confidence is to deal openly and on
the square with them. There was not the slightest doubt
of the result as soon as unjust criticism was leveled at the
candidates and the worthy men who were supporting
them. The public demonstrated its fairness by furnishing
the candidates whose friends adopted unfair methods.
1t is no disgrace to go to defeat with ones party, and
such a defeat should have no sting. Were politics put on
a plane where some would have them, and candidates seek
office on a personal basis alone then a defeated candidate
would have a right to feel that he had been judged by his
fellowman and found wanting. But so long as he can go
to defeat for a principle he holds, it is the principle and
not the individual that is before the bar of public judg-
ment. May the time never come when people will have to
pass upon candidates unassociated with principles to
guide them. May the time never come when people will
have to support or oppose candidates on their supposed
fitness alone. Such a condition would inject personalities
and lead to enlightenment.
Good men and women went to defeat everywhere
Tuesday. Let us hope that the defeated candidates will
not feel that it was the public estimate of their fitness or
worthiness that brought about their defeat. The Press
has had no unkindly word for any candidate, and has no
unkindly feeling for them. 1t endeavored to look beyond
the immediate present, and to work to bring about 4 con-
dition which would prevent the adoption of a eouse which
would disassociate candidates from the principles they
represent.
The people would have taken care of Allen at the