American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1914-11-12
HOW CAN THE BEST SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC
BE SECURED FROM THESE CITIZENSL

HOW A H BEST SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC
BE ECURED FROM THESE CITIZENSL
Again we inquire:
How shall we get the best results for the state and
the nation out of the thousands of unthinking, unin-
formed and blind party voters whose sufficient guide is
the name OF the candidate found upon their party ballot 2"
No one will seriously deny tina, thousands upon thou
sands of votes are cast each election for candidates for no
other reason than that the names of such candidates ap-
pear upon the ballot under the party designation. More
than 10000 Democrats voted for Miss Zumhof for state
school superintendent Notwithstanding she had resigned
from the ticket and had publicly announced that she did
not wish the office and could not qualify if elected. Had
the name OF Allen been left upon the ballot, he would have
received thousands of Republican votes notwithstanding
he was confined in the penitentiary upon election day upon
q plea of guilty of the theft of state funds placed in his
charge, !. t,... 4,ou...a
lie good?
The Progressive leaders believed they could organize
a party OF intelligent, informed, patriotic voters among
whom there would be few, if any, uniformed partisans
giving support merely to the party" They could not
make good. Their altruistic ideas fell before the ma
terialistic fact that there are too many thousands who do
not inform themselves and before the materialistic fact
that there are selfish leaders who are always ready to take
advantage Of the partisan p%rejudces that have been built
up through many generations.
The salvation of the nation from corruption and cor
rupting influences lies in the political independence of the
few thousands who may hold the balance of power be-
tween the two great parties that have become the bene-
ficaries of the great party" vote which has become the
foundation upon which the politicians now build.
Enough of this independent element rallied around
the Progressive organization in 1912 to save the nation
from the stolen presidency attempted by the corrupt Re-
publican leaders, but having rescued the nation and hav.
ing entered their protest, most of them felt the drawing
power of party" and returned to await another great
emergency, or to draft into a gradually increasing danger
because of that party influence.
But we are not here intending to argue these points.
We are here intending to direct inquiry to the question:
"How shall we get the best possible results for the
state and the nation from these party ~voters?"
Clearly the only good to be accomplished is through
the leadership of the parties. We have tried to form a new
party from the intelligence Of the nation and have failed
We still can exercise our political independence and &C.
compish much good. In truth, as we have said, the saliva.
ton OF the nation depends upon the degree of ~indepen1-
ence from political domination that will be shown by the
people, and the greater number who show that ~independ-
ence the better it will be for the nations welfare.
But, while maintaining an independence it behooves
these same Independents to give their party support to
the clean leadership of the existing parties. They can thus
aid such leadership in directing this great party" vote
into proper channels, and, in case of the failure of these
leaders to win within their own parties, as will often hap
pen, they can administer defeat to the party by throwing
their support in the election to the opposition party, rs al
protest which will most frequently be efectve.-Capital
News.