The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1916-08-18

paign that elected them. One of
1.-THE local papers took the tip and
adopted the policy of throwing a lot
of 'sop" for the officials on every
occasion or roasting" them If there
was a very long period when the
newspaper did not receive some
printing or advertising from them.
It had the desired effect, and by the
two means he kept them sending
him business pretty steadily, except
ing for a while when there were two
democrats on the board Of county
commissioners who did not pay any
attention to his praise Or abuse. One
of those men vas a candidate for re-
election, and SO hours before the
polls opened, that newspaper got out
a special edition devoted to praising
the whole lineup of Republican can
didates and especially abusing the
Democrat who had disregarded the
maneuvers of the editor to get more
of the public printing. The paper
stated among other things, that he
was not eligible to fill the office if
elected, because he was holding a
homestead in Bonneville county and
must therefore violate his oath as
to his place of residence on one count
or the other if he took the oath of
Ioffce. The statements were false,
but it was too late to prove it be-
fore people got to the polls, and the
Democrat was beaten altho he had
made a good official.
The Idaho Republican was anxious
to avoid any clash with its W polit-
.ical party, but it did not think much
of some of the men and women on
the county ticket, and most of those
on the Democratic ticket were no
better, so the editor did not say much
during the campaign. 1t seemed a
choice between two evils. The other
newspaper lauded, the whole Repub-
.lican ticket to the skies. They were
all perfect; the opponents were all
unfit. The way the matter was
= played up" in that paper was alb
solutely sickening. The Republicans
won the election on such stuff, show
ing that the people did not take a
lofty view of matters and were ready
to be Influenced by newspaper re-
ports regardless of the character of
the newspaper or it's reputation for
circulating SANDER. The victorious
candidates in turn gave the public
printing to the paper that had print
ed the "sop' for them. and turnout
their administration they continued
the practice and claimed that the
record of The Idaho Republican in
that campaign did not show that 1t
a Republican paper at all and
therefore was not entitled to receive
any of the public printing.
The Republican party in this
county had fallen so low that 1t judg-
ed of patriotism and party loyalty by
the same measure, and that measure
was the amount of stopping 1t would
do to elect it's ticket whether It's
candidates were worthy or not. We
say the Republican party, and by that
we mean not only the officers but the
county organization known as the
Republican Central committee, for
countenanced and encouraged that
kind of stuff, and when actual fraud
was disclosed the organization took
no notice of it. AS a rebuk for
these things the people went to the
polls in September and November
and turned the old bunch out and
put in a new set, mixing the candi-
dates from the two parties, tho 1t did
not give attention to selecting new
precinct committeeman.
We mention all these things to IL
I~ustrate what we said in the first
IF this article, that people need more
patriotism mixed with their politics,
Ind less desire for immediate personal
gain or business advantage. Ihat
people do not exist for the benefit
the political party, but that the
,arty ought to exist for the benefit
# the people. In the administration
We have told you about, these con-
Iitions were reversed and when the
,eople got to see how things were
.oing they undertook to clean up the
'arty by electing a new set of Of
icials. But the voters overlooked
ne very important matter; they
.eglected to give careful selection to ,
heir precinct committeeman; very =
ew people thought to vote on it at !
II and on that account the old ones
Ield over in most of the precincts, .
nd this left the county Republican !,
committee made up of the r
anne men as before. They elected a ,
ounty chairman and secretary from +
he same timber that had gone along {
rithout making any protest against :
he old corrupt practices. In fact 6
hese officials had gone farther, and :
sed all the power at their command I
0 protect the old corrupt ring when ,
heir corrupt practices were pointed q
ut to them thru the So articles pub :
Ished in this paper under the head r
1g, Reducing the Taxes.'N =
If the Republicans, Of this county +
re for clean politics, 1t is time right =
ow to get busy in their W pre- 6
incts finding out who they can have !
Or precinct committeeman that stand +
or clean politics and if necessary :
ct up in meeting and act for clean y
olitics. There are too many wishy- =
1ashy men holding these positions =
yho have not enough backbone to =
AXE a stand against opposition and =
ell men to their teeth that certain =
ines of conduct are not acceptable =
md that certain other lines must :
g followed. They have listened to :
-n.-.4.z1 jeslo.o +oJ1zSpo ho ANU =