The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1917-08-17
A SLAM ON IDAHO
EDITORS

The average newspaper man in
Idaho lays a trap for himself at in
tervals and never seems to observe
how seriously he indicts his own
honor. 1t is said that balky horse
balks because he has only one idea
in mind at a time, and that when
another Is introduced he loses the
first one and is not baking any
longer but is pulling. A good many
of the Idaho newspaper men have
shown similar capacity, and the
following review. will suggest what
is the one idea prevalent with some
Of them that blinds them to the OPP
portunities for pulling.
A number of years ago two men
were candidates for the United
States senate from Idaho. One had
talents and the other had cheek.
One was poor and the other had
wealth. 1t was, generally known
that one had wealth but is was not
generally known that he would have
the cheek to try to make his wealth
put him into the senate. Under
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won and became senator from Idaho.
Later on, the man with wealth
was again a candidate for the senate
and he won. It was said that he
won by the power of the press. News
paper men said he was free with his
money, and men generally said that
he owned or had interests in a
large number of papers over the
state and that he was very free with
his money in dealing with as many
as cared for free money. Most of
the newspapers of the state support
ed him in the race, and when editors
were asked personally why they did
it they said he was good cheerful
booster and a good wire-puller.
Scarcely any of them ever suggested
that he was brainy or that he was
a statesman or a man of lofty pur-
poses. He was pitted against
crook, but newspaper men scarcely
ever mentioned that as reason for
supporting the wealthy man.
The brainy man first mentioned
and elected is still in the senate and
he has made good as statesman to
by men from many states, to be a
candidate for the presidency, but he
declined. Few If any men have been
urged on to that position by so many
men of such power and influence.
without making an effort to be NOM
mated The brainy man from Idaho
steadily declined and kept on with
his work in the senate. Few men
in the United States senate have re-
ceived invitations to make speeches
in so many places, or been quoted so
much in the press Of the country and
the world. Over and over again he
has proven himself big man in the
estimation of the men of all states.
Now comes season when he says
he has decided to retire to private
life and again devote his energies to
the practice of law. The matter
commands the attention of some of
the larger newspapers of the nation,
and very properly they wait to see
what the newspapers of his own state
say about letting him retire. Come
now some of the great journalistic
minds of Idaho and make fun OF the
that Senator Borah's
personal choice is to retire from po-
litical life. They scout the idea and
suggest that he probably sees the
on the wall and has con-
cluded to get out before he is left
out.
These remarks come from men
editing newspapers of from $50 to
1 800 circulation. Some of these re-
marks come from newspaper men
who received money for boosting for
the wealthy man when he ran for
the senate and for boosting for a
man for governor who broke his
bank trying to get the nomination,
and in both instances the best rea-
sons they could give for supporting
such men was that they were good
sports and cheerful boosters.
Now when people in more than 40
states are interested somewhat to
zee whether or not Senator Borah
shall be lost from public service, and
when they are waiting to see what
he people of his own state say about
returning him to the senate, a iot
If the two-by-four men of Idaho
who have been in the
habit of ignoring brains and boosting
men into office according to their
wealth and their facility for parting
With it, express themselves in public
print and give the big newspapers
If the nation a chance to copy the
,lurs of Borah's own people about
he ablest man they ever sent to
Washington as indicated by the
lonors done him by the nation at
arge.
France once produced a man who
.ame to be known as William the
and Idaho sent a man
o the United Safes senate who was
" some opponents called William
he Promiser," from which one might
nfer that he promised more than
le fulfilled. If he did, such broken
promises should rise and mock him,
,ut in these days Of honest editorial
it is in order for those
Who know to speak. 1t is not fair
O Idaho, to her people and to her
"a .xhIich a