The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1915-07-15

and standing of the state in every fl
nancial center in the United States
1t reduces the value of every farm, of
every horse and cow, OF every state
and municipal bond and warrant. 1t In
creases your taxes and lessons your
values. Such things are not only de-
plorable from a moral standpoint hut
they are also bad as a pure question
of business. Men engaged In business
seeking legitimate investment, railroads
and corporate enterprise looking for
extensions and for ways in which to
invest. turn aside II they can from
that state where incompetency and
venality prevail In the public service.
The best investment state ever
made, the only real immigration agent
that 1t is worth while paying, are
honest, upright courageous public Of
ficials. And the best way for you to
raise the price of every acre of your
land, to increase the value OF all your
holdings. to lower your taxes and in
crease your bank account is to take
sufficient time from your other affairs
of life to see that we have decent
public officials. The well performed
duty of every citizen toward the pub
lie by meeting the primary and solemn
obligations Of citizenship by going to
the primary and to the election is the
greatest asset this state could have.
commonwealth whose people are bles-
sed with deep sense OF civic respon-
sibility where there Is an atmosphere
of honesty and conscientious public SER
vice possesses that kind Of wealth which
enriches and enarges the material
wealth ,of the state hundred fold.
The debauchery OF the American cleo
torate, the incompetency and venality
OF public officials, the betrayal of pub
lie trust, the duh and sodden sense OF
public decency which have characteriz-
ed to some extent our state are not
party questions, however, nor state
questions--they overflow party lines
and state lines and become profoundly
national in their importance. involving
no less than the questions of the per-
petuity of the republic itself. l wish
they were party questions. / could
see, then, l think, an easy way to be
rid of them. / wish they were confined
to a particular state, even IL 1t had
to be my own state. for how simple
would be the solution. But look at
the situation and condition OF affairs
in Texas as lately uncovered, In Ken
lucky and Indiana and New York. A
short time ago in Ohio so widespread
and prevalent did the venal curse take
its way reaching from wholesale bribery
in public offices to the most awful and
widespread corruption among the cleo
torate that 1t seemed like the ravages
of some fearful contagious disease
spreading upon the breeze to every
home, hamlet and city throughout the
land. More important than all other
question, my friends, rising above
party fealty, overshadowing every econ
omic and political question is whether
or not the American electorate is go
ing to meet in full and with adequate
measure the duties and responsible
ties Of citizenship in this republic.
Such a question goes back to the pri-
NAL question, not shall the people rule,
but will the people rule. Be assured
of this, that you can have some kind
of a government here but you cannot
have a republic where justice Is dis
tributed alike to each and all and
where all shall share according to their
deserts In the growth and prosperity
of the community unless you are willing
to pay for 1t In loyalty, in vigilance,
in sleepless devotion to the public ser
vice, in the sacrifice OF time and energy
necessary to protect it from the lnroads
of those unwearled enemies who pull
down its pillars and undermine its in
stitutions.
But let's deal with Idaho alone to-
day. ] must say to you frankly that
| think the situation Is deplorable
State pride in some quarters seems ut
terly dead Tie state seems ia the
minds Of some parties, a legitimate sub
ject Of public prey, and at the spme
time hundreds and even thousands OF
our citizens 90 neither to the primaries
nor to- the election where our officers
, are finally chosen--if / had my way
about it | would make the right t.
, vote depend upon the faithful exercise
, Of the franchise and not upon color ol
sex--I would disfranchise those who fol
no good reason remain away from The
polls. A blunted sense of public decenc.
"a low inert, Indifferent, sodden con.
ception of the relation Of a public
servant to the public and to the trus
reposed in him seems to have taken 8
wide and firm hold in the state. Ant
. the most alarming feature is really
not the particular defaulting or incom'
petent official but the widespread indif'
ference to the situation. While petty
larceny thieves are grabbing at tht
state funds and confessing 1t with 6
spirit of indifference and hilarity. IL
: order apparently to make up the deficit
, we are starving our educational insti
t tutions and thus robbing our childreI
and our children's children Of their brit
, right. 1t is a sorry condition when {
new state must embarrass its education
Z al institutions In order to establish
l sinecures in county seats and stat
capitols.
If this state was properly admins
tered, II men in public office woulC
g have a proper sense OF responsibilit.
. and sufficient feeling Of state pride
Idaho is rich enough to give her de
g serving improvements and educations
Institutions every dollar they need t
!, have the good roads so essential L
< the prosperity of our rural life an
, no one suffer from the burden. I an
:. aware that we'll meaning people Wi
. regret to have these things said. Blu