Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1914-07-05


has had but few officials in public
power to carry into effect its principles
and policies. yet the Progressive party
has a record of accomplishment for
good government to which any party
might be proud to invite attention. 1t
has aroused the public conscience; it
has caused an earnest study of gov
ernmental problems not equaled or APP
preached since the adoption of the fed
eral constitution more than a century
and quarter ago; it has caused the
people to know and to understand that
governments can and should be made
to accomplish those self evident truths
that "au men are created equal that
they are endowed by their creator with
certain inalienable rights" among
which are equal liberties and equal
opportunities in the pursuit of happi-
ness and that these things can be made
actualities and not glittering gener-
alities adopted merely as catch phrases
to serve the selfish purposes of political
machines organized and maintained for
the benefit of privileged classes rather
than for the purpose of serving the
common masses; it has caused two
great political parties. arrogant with
cession to power to give more than lip
service to its demands; it has caused
their legislative assemblies to enact
into laws some of the reform and
remedial demands demanded by it; it
has even forced the national congress
to seek means whereby it may enact
into law at least some semblance of a
surrender 20 its just demands, and,
last, and most wonderful of all its ac
complishments, it has caused both
these great parties in IDAHO as may be
seen by their representatives in con-
vention assembled in this same city
with US today, to engage in an unseem-
ly and panicky scramble, even if not
conscientious one, for the highest seat
upon the water wagon of statewide
prohibition!
The Bipartisan Alliance.
These two great political parties have
maintained for many years, and they
still maintain. a bipartisan political
machine. whose object has always been,
and now is, the same; the service Of
the few at the expense of the many
They have thwarted the intent and the
spirit of the American constitution
that we should have representatives
elected to serve the people within the
government, or even to exercise their
own best judgment in governmental
matters, and they have substituted
therefor, a government of representa-
tives elected to serve the bipartisan
machine and those who pay tribute
thereto either willingly or unwillingly.
1t never has mattered which branch of
this great partisan alliance should be
given the power, the results have al
ways been the same, and there never
has been more than a sham battle con-
Quoted between them, whose objective
has always been to ascertain which,
for the time being, should possess the
offices.
The leaders of neither of the old
parties have been in reality leaders of
the people whom they should have
served but they have been the slaves
of the special privilege seeking classes,
and in recent years they have under
taken no great reform except they
were driven to the task. unwilling as
ever We're the black slaves Of the south.
for whose freedom the Republican
party had it, birth, and for the ac-
complishment of which Abraham Lin
coin laid down his life.
Trying to Save Each Other
The task to which these slaves OF
special privilege have been driven by
an overwhelming public sentiment
whenever >demand for governmental
reform or public relief had to be rec
ognized, has always been obnoxious
but they had always shown at least
the slavess submission. until siS
ises for certain relief were wholly ig-
nored and the opposite action taken tc
that promised TO the people, and. fin
ally, when two years ago, the people
showed signs of revolt they threw
down the challenge to them. openly
avowlng that they would deliver the
reigns of government to their bi.
partisan allies, the Democrats. before
they would submit to losing then
power and control over the Republican
machine. And thus it came about that
the Progressive party was organized
and thus it comes that -he Republican
wing of this bipartisan govern.
mental machine. even to this very day
upon which we are here assembled
realizing that II cannot hope, at thu
present time, to regain the franchise.
practices, is now devoting its energies
toward the continued salvation of tn,
bipartisan machine, which it pro.
poses to accomplish by preventing tn,
success of the Progressive party ant
by bringing another victory to tn,
Democratic party
And the Democratic party hal
shown itself to be as unable to legis
late for the best interests Of the coun
try as the Republican party has shown
itself unwilling to do so. Hence tn,
people. in the coming campaign, mus
choose between the inability on tn
part Of the Democracy on the on
hand, and the unwillingness of tn,
Republican party upon the other o
they must accept ability, willingness
and fidelity from the Progressive
party.
A Criminal Conspiracy.