The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1916-10-27
MAY TRY 1T
AGAIN

AGAIN
Four years ago this county was
made the foot stool of designing poll
ticians. 1t appears that some very
unworthy people got into the race
for office, boosted for one another
got as much newspaper boosting as
they could from one of their pals,
deceived the voters about a good
many things, and after being elected
stood by each other and carried
things with high hand to an ex-
tent that has done irreparable in
jury to the county. In the present
campaign some of them are trying
to get into the saddle again or to
put their friends in, and 1t is time
to warn the public against some
of the tricks employed then.
A number of women claiming to
be temperance workers and trying
to get good men elected, went about
slandering men who were candidates.
They told things about them that
were not true and there are always
a lot of men and women whose minds
are about like children in that re-
spect, and they believe whatever they
are told. The information sinks in
to their systems quickly and they
act upon it, but after it gets adjusted
it begins to leave them, and finally
there is none of that belief left. By
that time the votes are all in and
the damage is done. Such people are
good enough in themselves so long
as they meet only good people, but
they are common carriers of poison
If it is delivered to them verbally
by somebody who tells them conf
dentially of somebody's alleged sins.
There were cliques scattered over
the county who would go out and
work systematically by word of
mouth circulating damaging stories
against candidates the last two or
three days of the campaign when it
was too late to refute their stories
before the voting.
A special edition Of a newspaper,
The Blackfoot Optimist, was publish
ed and mailed out on the last mail
that would reach country people be-
fore the voting, and 1t was the sub
ject of general condemn alton by peo-
pie who knew the truth about the
subjects it purported to give the
facts about. 1t was spread thru the
country on Monday, but no copies OF
it were allowed to get out about
town, tho some of them that were
sent into the country got back to
town and in this way it was learned
that a lot of eleventh hour" stuff
had been spread broadcast.
The public should know that II
such matter were true, and its
authors were able to prove it, they
would not rush it to the people on
the last mail before the voting. They
would publish it few weeks before
the election, and they would court
q full and free investigation of the
wrongs if wrongs had been commit
ted, The man or the newspaper that
is honest and sincere and in posses
sion of the facts about misconduct
of public officials, will state the facts
early enough so there is time for in
vestigation and for reply and discus
sion before reaching conclusions and
doing the voting. Anyone who
springs sensational stories about can
didates on the eve of election is to
be regarded with suspicion.
Another Example
In the campaign of 1912, The
Blackfoot Optimist was the mouth
piece for the Republican officials who
were elected, who were afterwards
exposed for wasting the public money
and for misuse OF their official
power, and who we're beaten for re-
election in the campaign of 1914.
The Idaho Republican had but little
confidence in the bunch before their
election and said very little about
them. Some of them accused the
editor of not being a Republican and
of not doing his duty by the party
by advocating the election OF the
ticket. Time proved that the bunch
were not worthy of support, and in
the present campaign some OF them
are candidates for election and some
of them are actively supporting the
Republican ticket or helping to man.
age party affairs. Their work in this
campaign should be scrutinized close
ly, as they may repeat some OF the
tactics of days gone by.
In the campaign of 1914, gentle
man who is now the chairman of the
Republican county central commit
tee, Mr.. ]. H. Andersen, was active
in the management OF the campaign,
and it was said that he was looking
after the publicity end of the work.
He is now in partnership with Sena-
tor L. R. Thomas in the law office,
tho they were not partners at that
time. A great deal of the Republl-
can campaign matter that appeared
in The Optimist was said to have
been written by Mr.. Andersen. The
editor of The Republican expressed
doubts at times as to whether j. II.
Andersen would stoop to writing
such stuff as was being published by
that paper. On Sunday before the
election it was reported that a special
edition of The Optimist was being
printed and in the evening Mr.. And
ersen stated to the editor of The Re-
publican that he had put in busy
day, and that he had gotten out some
stuff nr words tn thcf