The record. [volume] (St. Maries, Idaho) 1913-1918, 1915-08-06
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY
(Caldwell Tribune, Repl

prominent inellDeiS Oh lle he-
publican party met in Boise We'd
nesday for the purpose of coun~
selling together These councils |
of the party are no longer of The |
Importance that they were i'm for
mer years. Today members OF |
the party can get together simply |
for the purpose of ascertaining |
sentiment. They can no longer
create or overturn the sentiment !
Everything is left to the people,
who without thought or know
ledge, and frequently with indif-
ference, frame the party policy
and nominate the party ticket
The party council is without au-
thority and i'm consequence with
cut Importance. It serves a
more or less useful purpose in
enabling discerning men To get
an idea of the drift of public
sentiment.
A striking feature Of the senti-
ment expressed at Boise was that
Governor Alexander isgoing TO be
hard man to defeat for re-elec-
ton. The politicians make
sport of the governor; mock him:
ridicule him and affect TO despisc
him; but down deep i'm their heart
they have for him a wholesome
respect They sense a popular
iiS which Governor Alexander has
which is going To make him a
formidable opponent for any man.
Added to this popularity is an in
defatigable industry and energy,
and a taking way, and we have a
candidate who will cause the best
Republican i'm Idaho a hard fight.
The politicians feel this They
know that they must put forth
their best foot They also ac-
knowledge, to each other by si-
lcnce at least, that Governor Al
eXander is sincere. He really
thinks he is accomplishing some
thing for Idaho. Given a force
full man, with sincerity as his
shield and confidence as his
sword, and you have a strog foe
man in any controversy. So
much for the opposition.
The Republican party itself is
in a deplorable condition i'm Ida
no. II has been mismanaged to
such an extent that it retains i'm
but small degree the confidence of
its members. The party leaders
have airted with isms of every ilk
Long ago principle and purpose
were jettisoned. The whole
cargo consists of platitude. catch
phrase and vulgar appeals for
that which the politicians think
the people want. Just why the
average politician thinks that the
public will not take substantial
nOurishment hasnever been clear
to us. q. Take a dozen or a hun
dred politicians, each one OF
them representative men of hi,
community, and as individuals
they will reject pretence and by
pocricy. Let some politician say
that the people want pretenc,
and hypocricy and every one OF
them will Immediately gather
pretence and hypocricy to hi.
bosom and nurse them tenderly
The politician seems to think tina
the people is a body separate anC
apart who live and grow fat OF
weeds and thistles. Il is any
thing to win. When a politica
party gets into that condition
where winning is everything. j
will soon go to pieces and TIA,
sooner the better.
We are convinced that the Pro.
gressive movement grew simpl,
because there seemed to be con-
nected with it honest convictions
IL was alive to the conditions o.
the day; awake to its duty; SEN
sitive to its responsibilities. Hero
in Idaho the Progressive party
was stronger than i'm many other
states simply because local con-
ditiOns contributed to its strength
The leaders of the party had beer
fearful, the people negligent anC
in consequence the party had got
ten into bad condition. It was
weak, vacillating and we'll worthy
the rebuke that was administered
It is too bad that the rebuke die
not reach Borah, Brady, Hart
Day and the other politicians who
deserved it. AS is often the cas-,
fhe innocent must suffer for tn,
sins of the wicked.
The Tribune sees but ont
chance for the Republican par
ty, and we are CONVINCED that tina