The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1915-04-22

To the Readers Of the Blaekfoot

Optimist:
Last week there appeared in the Ida
no r. publican. published in Blaekfcot,
An article written by it's editor that
was so filled with vicious innueado,
pernicious lies and fragrant SANDER, all
tending to blacken the reputation Of the
writer, that / feel it incumbent upon
me to make some statement to the
people of Bingham county in self de
tense.
I am charged in the article in tn.
Idaho Republican with the commission
Of crime and Of repeating the offense
innumerable times. Ny friends are
charged with befriending criminal,
with desiring criminals in public office,
with lack of courage, with holding
public trust lightly, with Icing, with
prostituting the public veal, and with
being entirely unfit to be entrusted
with public office.
| I came to Idaho over four years ago
and shortly afterward chose Blackfoot
for my home with the intention of earn
ing living in this place for myself
and family in the practice of the law.
Ny reputation is part of my stock in
trade, and l am willing to account to
anyone for the way my time has been
spent from the time l was 10 years
old.
The editor of the Idaho Republican
is also the owner of that newspaper,
and is peculiarly in position to spread
his infamous SANDER over the country.
Those who are so unfortunate as to be
attacked by him are not generally in
position to use the public press with
out cost to themselves for their pro-
lection.
1 have been guilty of no crime as
this editor alleges, and feel that in
view of my limited acquaintance here
it is incumbent upon me to make this
statement. Certain it is that this edi-
tor is familiar enough with the pro-
cedure for the punishment Of crime that
he could take the proper steps to have
an offender Appreciated and tried for
his offenses. Even q criminal is grant
ed the right under our laws to fair
and impartial trial by jury. A charge,
such as has been made by this editor,
being made in the manner that this
one has been, is about as fair as to
slip up behind your enemy in the dark
and cave his head in with q club.
There is only one consolation that I
have, and that is that this editor has
attacked almost every official that has
been entrusted with public office by
the voters of this county and city. It
seems that all thinking men will know
that not all men who are honored by
public office are crooks, grafters or
thieves. Also some Of the men attacked
are so well known by all Of you that
you cannot help but know that they
are honorable men. Some Of them are
men in whom I place the greatest con-
fidence. And to think that they should
be attacked and called grafters because
they are friends of mine seems the
greatest insult of all. But this editor
explains in part why he is attacking the
city officials of the present administra-
ton by saying that they have not given
him the monopoly Of the city printing
while they had that chance. This rea
son may appeal to the editor as suffic-
lent, but does it so appeal to yous
che readers of the Idaho Republican
should be fair enough not to pass upon
the innocence or guilt Of any person
without giving that person hearing,
charge. If any official has been guilty
of wrong then he should be proceeded
against under the law and if any charge
is to be made it should be made in such
manner that the person charged may be
given hearing, and he should not be
convicted by the public until jury of
his peers have decided that he is guilty,
when the laws impose a suitable
penalty.
R. j. DYGERT.