The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1915-09-09
SAYS GOVERNOR rs TOO RECKLESS
OF SPEECH,

SAYS GOVERNOR rs TOO RECKLESS
OF sPEEcH.
The Lewiston Tribune, an independ-
emit Democratic journal. editpriaily d.
agnoses Governor Alexander's case in
a most effective and conclusive man
ner In last Fridays issue. The Trib-
une speaks respectfully but plainly Of
the governors well known disposition
to deal recklessly with the truth and
magnify the facts to suit the purpose
for which he wishes TO use them, then
kindly and considerably covers this
defect in the governors character with
the charitable explanation that though
the governor ''does not mean what he
says" when he says 1t. and that 'he
Is given to reckless and thoughtless
speech" and does not. and cannot live
UP to his own precepts." that the
cause OF 1t all Is that che Is carried
away with the circumstances Of the
moment"
And some persons have been unchar-
table enough to contend that the "cir-
cumstances" usually are that the gov
ernor has a point which he wishes to
impress upon an audience. the facts
regarding which will not fully sustain
the statement which he desires to make
and that the moment" Is the psyche
logical instant when he gives way to
that inherent weakness to make the
statement -nilly--and ''recklessly'
does 80. letting the consequences take
care Of themselves both as to the det-
rirnental effect 1t may have upon his
hearers, and his own accounting In the
great hereafter. But the Tribune pre-
sents the matter so much more artis-
tica1ly than 1t is possible for the Globe
to do, that its remarks are appended
with the statement that the Globe is
willing to accept the Tribune.s version
Of the matter. 1t says:
A rather discouraging division exists
among the state press along party
lines concerning the effect OF Gov. AL
exander's remarks directed at his CO.
religionists while at the recent gov
ernors' conference in Boston, one eie-
nent OF the state press contending that
the governor was near being mobbed
for criticising the Jews, while the other
element contends that the so-carled
mob was nothing but an outpouring OF
enthusiasm in behalf of the Idaho ex-
ecutive. In Idaho 1t appears, IL the
partisan press Is a criterion, that one
party must paint the governor as q
leper and the other as an angel in or
der to be true to Its calling. That
rs one reason why the partisan press
has fallen into disrepute, why sensible
people want none Of 1t and why sensi-
BILE publishers have long ago freed
themselves OF the odious and odorous
shackfes.
Gov. Aiexanders remarks at Boston
have been printed an full by the Trib-
une and his criticism OF the Jews was,
in the main, we'll taken. The same
criticism would apply to any other re-
ligton and race. insofar as 1t applies to
any one. The trouble with Gov. Alex
anders remarks there, as with his re-
marks at home. is that he is given to
reckless and thoughtless speech, and
does not. can not. practice his own
precepts. He really does not mean,
In instances. what he says and this
does not mean that he Is influenced
by bad motives but that he is carried
away by the circumstances of the mo-
ment. In the Boston article Gov. AL
exander laid great store by his declar-
alton that he would not appoint a Jew
to public office, either when he was
or as governor of Idaho Gov. Alex
ander does not believe a word OF that,
Notwithstanding the circumstances have
been such that he has never had COCA
sion to appoint one. If Gov. Alexand-
er would refuse to appoint a worthy
Jew to an office he was better quail
flied to fin than rival applicant OF
applicants. 1t means he would make ne
his public duty. 1t means. IN effect
that he would have the public make
the same distinctions. and all that this
implies. II means that he would be
disloyal to his country. to its institu-
tions and to the bin OF evil rights
should he really adhere TO any such
doctrine. But the truth IS me does not
mean what he says. He intended mere
iy to express a certain scrupulosity
ais to preferring a co-religionist in APP
pointments to the public service, and
there was both reason and propriety
In the motive. He merely overshot the
mark. He drew line against the Jew,
as q class which he had NO right to
draw and did not intend to draw. II
was the ebullition OF a virtuous sen.
tinent which ceased TO be a virtue
0itSh ~ ahiShAt1u itflo u proocIlptaou
We think Gov. Alexanderss faults will
thus largely be found to consist In
loose speech rather than in loose con-
duct. Expectations have been aroused
by these ill-considered claims and con-
tentions that could not. and should not
have been fulfilled. II Is only with q
view TO helping the public arrive Of
a better understanding of the state.
chief magistrate that the Tribun,
takes the liberty of examining the per-
sonal side of the governor in th4s rath.
or free way and with no view to as,
sorting for itself perhaps unfair ant
unseemly license OF expression. II
other words. the public should begin Il
estimate Gov. Alexander by what h
does. and not altogether by what h,
says. and particularly mot by what q
rank craftsmanship says. ON either side
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PLAYING HORSE WITH US.
In serious complications with an,
foreign country, all patriotic citizens