The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1915-07-23
MFNANCf TO WELFARE OF STATE
Senator BOrah Urges use Of Ballot to
Prevent Public Corruption.

estate pride is as indispensable in
the building of great state as self
respect in the formation and upbuild-
ing of private character" declared
Senator William E. Borah in opening
his address at the Parma Roswell
farmers picnic last Tuesday.
1T is the moral and intellectual
flavor without which our state can
never attain unto that individuality
among other states of the Union which
every good citizen coyets for the COM
monwealth in which he has come to
make his home and rear his family
and among whose people he has cast
his lot. We ought to cultivate 1t in
every conceivable way. AS the indi-
vidual builds his home and puts his
personal character into the archtic-
ture and grounds, its furnishings and
it's library, distinguishing it thus from
that of all his neighbors, SO a people
for good or bad write their char
acter and purposes inevitably into the
institutions and laws of a state and
thus give it her character by which
she is to be judged among all the sis
terhood of states. Who does not want
to see the name of Idaho come to have
a Significance all its own, a mark of
distinction and an Individuality which
shall be hers and hers alone?
ITO this splendidly lowered state
has come from the beginning an ex-
ceptional class of people. Her citi-
zenship is of the best strain of the
whole country. First, the pioneers,
men and women OF heroic mold-no
tongue can pay the tribute to which
they are justly entitled. Their fol-
lowers from Massachusetts and OHIO
and Illinois and Wisconsin and Kan
sas and Iowa and other great COM
monwealths an Industrious, frugal, so
Der, home-loving, iaW-respecting peo-
| pie l was gratified beyond measure
in running over the statistics gathered
by our census bureau to find how far
up Idaho stands in all the qualities
of virile and dependable citizenship.
In literacy it is among the very first
peculiar and distinct. We have moth
ing more to do than to accentuate il
in order that we may have a COM
monwealth worthy to rank among the
I|greatest in the Union.
But my friends, there is another
side of this picture and at the risk
of being misunderstood, l am going te
be equally frank with you in regarC
Tito it. A man may be good to his fam
lily. He may meet with courage an(
hope the Universities which so otter
envelope those who go out in the des
j ert and waste places to rear homes
: and build communities, he may NEE
at the cost of great denial both as Il
/ himself and his family the obligations
of debt he may be sober, law-abidint
and upright in all the transaction,
among men and yet not meet in full
measure the responsibilities of citi
| Zenship.
idaho has lately suffered shame ana
humiliation by reason of the betraya
Eof some of those in whom the peopl,
had reposed their confidence. It Is 1
nauseating affair-this cold, coward!
deliberate bartering of the state'
honor. The actual taking of the pub
lie funds is bad enough, but the loss o
the money taken, should it be lost
is altogether the least of the conse
| quences Of such evils. Corruption II
| public Office is not to be measured II
| its evil consequences by the direct los
occurring-such things impair tn
reputation and standing Of the stat
in every financial center in the Unite
States It reduces the value of ever
farm, of every horse and COW, Q
every state and municipal bond an
= warrant, it increases your taxes an
: lessons your values. Such things ar
-lnot only deplorable from a mora
standpoint but they are also bad as
pure question of business Men en
gagged in legitimate business, capits
seeking legitimate investments, raj
roads and corporate enterprise lool
ing for extensions and for ways
which to invest, turn aside II the
can from that state where incompt
tence and venality prevail in the pull
lie service.
NOW my friends, there is4only on
remedy for this situation. The pas
I|age of some statute will not avail
|There are some things the citize
must do of his own initiative and Z
form Of legislation can take the plaa
OF it The spasmodic display Of
righteous indignation will not SUM