The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1915-07-15
SENATOR BORAH
GIVES ADDRESS
CONTINUED from Page one)


deal with this situation and tie good
results will appear from the hour of a
resolve to do so.
Now. my friends, there is only one
remedy for this situation. The passage
of some statute will not avail. There
are some things the citizen must do
of his own initiative and no form of
legislation can take the place of 1t.
The spasmodic display of a righteous
indignation will not suffice. The effort
of a few public spirited men can ac-
complish nothing permanent or decisive.
The remedy lies in the aroused and
determined effort of a whole people
OF the voters. We must have a cool,
deliberate, but determined. purpose up
on the part of the voters, a keen sense
OF civic responsibility, an intelligent
and sustained public opinion in order
to accomplish anything worth while or
anything that will be permanent. Moth
ing can take the place in such a situ-
alton of the individual responsibility of
the citizen. Nothing can suffice . for
that state pride which will bring us
to look with jealousy and vigilance up
on this commonwealth of ours with
whose veal or woe our individual well
fare is wrapped up The remedy lies
with you-the voters. ] beg you to
realize the responsibility and take the
initiative. l plead with you to give
this great cause your serious reflection,
give to II your time and your energy.
Others may have their remedies but /
can find no hope except as l find 1t
in the aroused and determined purpose
of the people at large, in the sustain
ed interest of the masses. The means
are at your command. In this state
man cannot be candidate for Of
flee without your approval II you are
OF the kind to have 1t so. This instru-
mentality Of government Is In your
control
Some people in the state urge that
we repeal the primary law-arguing
that We can do better without 1t, and
that under the old system things were
much better. l do not assail the mo-
tives of those who so contend. / know
some Of our best men think that way
II doubt not at all their sincerity.
But speaking for myself, l am unalter-
ably and uncompromisingly opposed to
its repeal or its emasculation. am
not willing to take the weapons of
political warfare out of the hands of
the people at the very time when we are
appealing to the people for action and
are getting ready for war. So far as
am concerned. / prefer to leave the
power with the people and rely upon
them to see the necessity of its use
and to faithfully make the use rather
than to take away the power and rely
upon the sinister, selfish interest of
politics meeting in caucus behind clos
ed doors and through the manipulation
of machine strategy to protect the
rights and interests OF the people A
people who have not the energy, the
initiative, the patriotism TO select
their candidates are equally unworthy
and unfit to elect them and there is
Just as much argument to repeal the
law for election as the law for selec- |
ton. And indeed the indifference as
to the election is now almost as
marked as that of selection. There |
were as many votes cast for the candi- |
dates for United States senator at the |
Republican primary at the last primary |
election as there was for the success
ful candidate for governor two years |
before at the elction--and shall we al |
SO take away the right of the people |
70 elect their candidates? In the |
presidential election of 1908 in one
state alone over hundred thousand |
voters remained away from the polls
IN election day repeat. shall we al
SO repeal the election law?
In the adoption OF state constitutions
md amendment to state constitutions,
statistics show that less than one third
II the voters record their approval or
We take away also
he right Of the people to a referendum
IN the charters under which they llvee
No, the logic OF these gentlemen proves
90 much. The remedy lies not In
'hearing the people Of their power
'ut in doing our part to show the
supreme necessity OF their exercising
hat power II the people at large
ire not to furnish the relief, II they
10 not rise to the responsibility, then