The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1916-05-05

Blackfoot as city is in its usual
spirits socially and in It's usual con-
ditioR materially. One half of tie
town is happy and contented and the
other half is near-contented. About
half of the population cleaned VI
their premises as usual with the
opening of spring, as is their custom
and the other half nearly cleaned up
Some of them cleaned up the front
yards and dumped the rubbish In
the street in front Of their premises
while others, higher up in the grades
of civic righteousness, showed care
and dumped it in the street at the
side of their places, showing theil
preference not to view 1t themselves
nor be conscious of 1t when looking
out in front. Then there are still
others who showed further thought
fitness and dumped 1t all out at the
rear or put 1t over against the
neighbors making striking contrast
with their possible spotless yards.
Contrast Front
and Rear
Some of the wealthiest people II
town cleaned up their premises, and
yet others of superior wealth and
social standing omitted this little
formality. Some who have giver
very commendable social stunts and
had their guests come in via the
front door, have things piled about
the wood sheds and back alley thai
would make striking contrast with
the display in the parlor. When the
social affairs have been written uI
for publication, and it was stated
that delicious refreshments or punch
had been served, the publisher very
kindly omitted making any refer
ence to the display Of ancient tin
cans, dead cats and dunghill just
back of the hospitable home. II II
was written that a certain club meet
ing of the leaders of thought in the
community assembled and discussed
or read the works of authors whose
names half of us know not how to
pronounce, the publisher again
obligingly omitted all mention of the
brush heaps in the back yards OF
in the streets adjacent to half the
homes represented in the meeting.
and omitted printing the pictures OF
any of the garbage heaps and an
cient toilets owned by some of them
that would, on coming to leeward,
sicken the mast of, a schooner. 1t
would not be considered good journ-
alism to mix things SO much in the
same issue of the paper, and we
have saved all such references trying
to find an open space in the social
season where this might be brought
forward We refrain from mention
ing names of any, of even the poor
or the well-to-do whose premises are
disgrace to the town, for we dis
like to give offense. We never yet
Intentionally offended anybody by
the publication of simple truth, but
folks say we have been mighty blunt
in shoveling out information at times
and offering to exhibit the proof If
anybody doubted. But to get back
again to the subject of litter and
filth, ash heaps and brush piles In
the streets and alleys, dead hens and
dung hills just over the line on both
private and public property, we dis
like to print the pictures OF the
things and places because 1T costs
money for the photographs and en-
cravings, and then il we print the
pictures of the rear terminals OF
some of the pieces of property be-
longing to the influential citizens Of
the town they would denounce US
like the dickens, and being tender
hearted and sensitive, that would
sink inf what they said were true.
We Might
Not
But regarding the pictures of the
old wood sheds and dung hills, don't
take it seriously folks, we are only
bluffing. Two years ago we printed
a picture of some of the property OF
the district judge after he had made
his brags about how he would take
care of the timber lands Of the state
and the other state properly Ii he
were only made governor, and when
people went around the block to look
at the property itself they reproved
the editor of this paper because ne
gave the Judge the best of 1t. The
property itself looked even worse
than we printed it. We knew it
would, but it was the psychological
effect of that very circumstance that
we were after. If we should print
the pictures of some of the rear
views, saying nothing of the winnoWs
land attended the track meet at
Thomas last Saturday.