American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1915-07-22
BORAH PLACES RESPONSIBILITY ON VOTERS

greatest farmers picnic ever held III
southwestern Idaho, Senator William
E, Borah delivered an address In wnlcn
he cut straight to the core on the Is
sue of he direct primary and the poll
tical conditions in Idaho growing u
of the entertainments form the state
bv o. v. Allen and Fred M. Coleman
The senator was at his best; he was
among friends; he spoke with iorce
and eloquence and he was gwen d
great reception. The CROWD at u'e
picnic broke the records ana the pio-
gram was one of unusual interest
Senator Borah, the orator oil the uas'
spoke as follows: T.,
state pride is as Indispensable IN
the building of a great state as sen
respect in the formation and uppuiiu-
ing of private character. IL 10 lne
moral and intellectual flavor without
which our state can never attain un'o
that individuality among other states
Of the Union which every good cltlzeh
covets for the commonwealth In winch
be has come 10 make his home ana
roar his family and mons whose
neonle he has cast his lot. We ought
- cultivate 1t in every conceivable
wav AS the individual builds MS
home and puts his personal character
into its architecture and grounds, It's
furnishings and its libarry, distln-
puishipg It thus from that OF all OF MS
neighbors, SO a people for good or for
had write their character ano pur-
noses inevitably into the institution
and laws of Al state and thus give 10
her a character by which h is TO De
iudeed among all the sisterhocd OF
states. Who Ices not want to see tne
name of Idaho coine to have a slgniil-
canoe all its own, q mark OF d1stlnc-
ton and an individuality WHICH shai
be hers and hers alone!
uhot a marvellous foundation we
have upon which to build. no" eia
ciously Nature has distributed he,e.
scarcely an element OF natural wea,ln
hut abounds within u state Al, II
great metals, timber and cGiiolhs
stone. grazing lands n lcui,
lands. and all upon such a vast scarf
for this state is far greater IN area
and in natural wealth than al tna'
MAGNIFICENT region teeming WIN IN
dustrial power known as New Ehe-
land. 1t is richer and .han
the territory upon which arose and lei
tbe Babylonian empire. n then
scattered here and there In the MIDST
of n all these natural parks, TINS
scenic grandeur, as If Nature woulo
saw nothing is to be left out to COM
nIete and round out in beauty as well
as worth this empire OF materiai
mower. Indeed, Natures God has al
ready given Idaho an ~oiVlouai
neculiar and distinct. We have noth-
ing more to do than to ~accentuate IL
In order that we may have a com
mouwealth worthy to rank among the
greatest i'm the Union.
To this splendidly lowered state
has come from the beginning an eA-
ceptional class of people. Her cltl-
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 wnlcn
they are Justly entitled. Then ioi-
lowed from Massachusetts and ONO
and Illinois and Wisconsin and Kan
sas and Iowa and other great COM
~monwealths an Industrious, frugal so
her. home-loving, law-respecung peo-
nile. I was gratified beyond measure
In running over the statistics gathered
III ~
nv our census bureau to find how far
nm Idaho stands In all the qualities
nj yirile and dependable citizenship
In literacy 1t is among the very nrst,
In the ratio of crime among the most
favored. And is not all this true!
Do / overdraw the picture? No, 1t is
hut q crude. crayon sketch which |
give you. The subject is worthy oil
,tft1l than IN nalnt as
Il ia. No one can live among and In
termingle with the people OF this
state for 20 odd years as l have, feel
ing the inspiration and encouragement
of their open, generous, sturdy ma
lures and not believe In them, no'
trust them implicitly, not feel that the
highest honor that can come to anyone
is to faithful y serve them.
But, my friends, there is another
side oil his picture and at the risR
of being misunderstood, | am going to
be equally frank with you in regard
to 1t. A man may be good to his ram
ily, he may meet with courage ano
hope the adversities which so Otter
envelop those who go out in the des'
ert and waste places to rear homes
and build communities, he may meet
at the eos of great denial both as &c
himself and his family the obligations
of debt, he may be sober, law-abidihe
and upright in all the transactions
among men and yet not meet in tuiI
the responsibilities Of citi-
zenship. We owe a vast amount tc
our state, a debt that is always being
paid and yet never to be fully liqui'
dated. That is the one obligation
however, the one debt which GOOD
honest men too often in the midst o.
their busy lives and in the earnest
effort 20 secure wealth are constalll
avoiding or eve r~epudiating. Hun.
dreds eve thousands of our best citi
Zens 60 not exercise their right o
franchise, do not attend our prima
ries and do not go to the election
booths. They take no part in the Sc
lection or election OF those with whom
are TO be trusted for a stated season
the welfare of the whole people anC
the honor of the entire state. They
practically withdraw from all mat