The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1916-06-09
The People Are At Fault.
(Mountainhome Republican)


1t there was ever time in the his
tory of Idaho when the people should
take the time and trouble to inform
themselves on everything of politi-
cal nature, this is the very time There
is something wrong with the political
system OF this state, and today there
are number of men who are making
careful study of the situation to try
to ind out just what the trouble is
and. if such thing is possible, to ap-
ply remedy at once. Therefore. we
say again that all good citizens owe it
to'themselves and to the state to make
some effort to acquaint themselves
with general political conditions and
the questions that are agitating the
minds of the party leaders and prom
inent men in all walks of life. At the
very least they should make it a point
to hear the men who are candidates
for office; to find out what they have
to say and what they stand for. This
will give the voter chance to have
at least general knowledge to guide
him when he goes into the voting
booth to select candidates for his par
ty.
Since the recent disclosures in con-
nection with the so-called Huston
loan, we have heard a good many
opinions as to the reason for the lax
methods employed in the transaction
of the states business, and a number
of our editor friends have expressed
themselves on the subject, but not one
has struck what in our judgment is
the keynote of the whole situation.
The political system under which
&c
responsible for existing conditions, be-
cause of the lack of interest on the
part of the people. Under the old
convention plan a man had to show
some qualifications for the position
he sought or he could not be nominat-
ed, and too, under that plan few peo-
pie from every county had chance
to see the candidates and to size them
up. But under the operation of our
primary law bank rolls seem to be the
only qualification prescribed. If a
man has enough money to pay the fee
tor Hing his nomination he can enter
the race for any position within the
gift OF the people, but his success at
the polls will depend very largely up
on, his financial ability to tickle the
palms that are always outstretched to
every candidate and his subserviency
to the wishes of little coterie of
state house attaches who would con-
tinue themselves In office If man
can measure up to these standards he
can hgure that he has a mighty good
chance OF getting by for the people
Will not hnd out whether he has any
OF the real qualifications that fit him
tor the position he seeks until after
he is elected, and even then not more
than one-tenth of the people will ever
know whether he filled the office with
success and with credit. or whether
he just piff1ed away his time holding
down an easy chair in a private office
and hired a deputy to do the work.
And all this comes because the people
do not take the interest in political
matters they should; because they are
no more faithful in the performance
OF their sacred duty as citizens than
are some of the men who are holding
state Jobs; because they will not in
form themselves even to the extent of
reading their local and state papers.
TO inpressively illustrate the truth of
this statement we have but TO go back
to the general election two years ago.
y. V. Allen was the nominee of the
Nepu'llCan arty Tor state treasurer
but short time before election dis
closures were made that caused him
to resign from the ticket and later
caused his arrest. But some of the
remote precincts of the southeast had
been supplied with ballots before the
stickcrs were sent out by which the
name Of John w. Eagleson was sub
stituted for that of Allen. The stick
"rs were sent out later but were never
placed on the ballots and O. V. Allen.
then in the penitentiary under SEN
tence for embezzlement of some $780,
zoo of state funds, got his full party
vote.
1t used to be said, in the old con- |
vention days, that state officers spent
the first year OF their first term in
getting line on their duties and the
second year hustling votes to re-elect |
them, but they did devote part of
their second term to looking after the
states business. This is all changed |
now. State officials now spend their
first two years in Office about the same
as they did under the old plan, and !