The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1916-10-13
SENATOR THOMAS,
HIS STRATAGEM

+ ! !. ! Il. !:
In the campaign
| leading up to the cit!
i election at Blackfoo
in 1915, two tickets
| were in nomination
i and The Idaho Re
i publican took tn,
i view that If the vot
ers were careful the!
might get one goo(
set of officials out of the two tickets
made up of very imperfect candi'
dates. We opened the campaign by
instroducing all the candidates Of
both parties, thru the columns OF
The Republican, and telling the pub
lie who they were, where they lived
and what they had been doing fol
a livelihood. In the opening chapter
given without cost to any of the
candidates, we made the public &C.
quainted with them as individuals
and withheld all discussion of their
fitness for the respective positions to
which they aspired. During the rest
of the campaign we discussed their
qualifications and fitness or lack OF
fitness for the positions. In some
instances we gave the record Of what
they had done in office and how they
had handled the public business.
Much of it was taken from the city
records and from the court records,
and while it was not disputed or con-
tested seriously, some OF them took
the view that even the truth need
not all be told just because a fellow
wanted to be elected to an office. The
Republican was working for clean
politics and honest administration of
public affairs, and deliberately critic
Used any and all who had done wrong,
regardless of how it might effect our
chances to receive share of the city
business after they were elected. In
other words, we made no effort to
"get on the band wagon"
Thought Him a Peace-maker
| AS was generally expected, a mix
ed ticket was elected, some of both
parties being defeated. Some bitter
ness had developed in the camapign
and when it came to appointing a
lefty attorney, it was desirable to have
some one that was not active In
either faction, and Senator Thomas
was appointed. 1t was decided to let
all city printing to the lowest bid
lders. Sealed bids were received, and
"ifrom the moment they were opened
there began a comedy OF plumbers
and foolish maneuvers never found
among public officials of high ideals
and lofty purposes. How they were
tcounselled and advised by their attor.
ney, Mr.. Thomas, is shown by follow,
ing carefully the following para
\ graphs, and persons who are con
sidering whether or not he Is a ut
person to serve the county In the
senate, should take the measure OF
his breadth of thought and fairness
as indicated by what he said and
did in council.
Indications of Character
When the bids were opened for
printing, four firms were represented
and the bids covered the publications
of legal notices for the city and the
printing of stationery and other
things commonly called commercial
printing. We mention some details,
not because the public will be inter-
ested in them, but because the things
that were done about it enable the
reader to take the measure of the
character of the men who were act
ing for the public.
Senator and Editor Friends
The bid of The Blackfoot Optimist
for publishing legal notices for the
city was rs cents an inch. This is
the paper we spoke of last week in
the Senator Thomas article as His
Paper! not that he owns the paper
or ever did, but he has indicated
from time to time that he had helped
to establish it and had such an in
terest in it that he got all his pub
Using done there. That fact never
made any difference with the friend
Nv relations existing between Senator
Thomas and the editor of The Repub-
lican, and it. has been eight or nine
years.
Too Good To Be True
The Idaho Republicans bid was
short and plain and to the point, and
on account of the stir it raised, and
on account of the strange interpreta-
tons placed upon 1t by the city at
torney and others we copy 1T YER
batim:
"Blackfoot, Idaho,
MAY IS, 1915.
Mayor and City Council,
"Blackfoot, Idaho.
Gentlemen: ...
"My bids on the city printing are
as follows:
eff we are given any orders for
commercial printing we will produce
it on the quality of paper indicated
in the order, will do good artistic
work and charge the city the same
price as we charge other people for
similar work.
eff the city gives us the publica-
ton of all its legal notices for the
year we will do it free Of charge and
furnish the affidavits to the clerk
for his files.
Respectfully submitted,
BYRD TREGO."
After long silence member OF
the council said he didn't know what
it meant. and asked to have it read
again. After the second reading two
or three councilmen gave their re-
spective interpretations OF 1t, and