The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1918-10-22
USE CO.MMON SENSE AND
DO CLEAR THINKING

In these days when all kinds oil
fellows are advocating all kinds OF
ideas is a good time for each individ.
ual to do some thinking for himself
People would do we'll to remember
that the sun will rise and set In about
the same old way after this election
and that human nature and the uni
verse will be governed by the same
laws. The majority Of people will
be honest as before, and people in
positions of public trust will be am
bilious to serve and to win the graft
tude of their fellow men as hereto
fore. It will be worth while to listen
to those who have new ideas and sug-
gestions as to new ways of doing
things, but yet be thoughtful and
make few plunges In the dark. Be-
ware of the man who has a panacea
for everything or who thinks that
all men are dishonest, but himself
and his pals, or that wisdom has only
come with his arrival.
Some eight or nine years ago there
was great agitation against dane
ing in q certain hall in Blackf0ot,
and many people became very much
worked up over the reports that
everybody who went to dance there
was headed straight for hades. Var
ious things were suggested as RENEE
dies or safeguards, but nothing In
particular was done. Young people
continued to dance and court and
marry about as usual, and as years
dragged on, it was observed that
some of the agitators who had said
the most and the unkindest things
had themselves made uncomfortable
records in their own affairs, SO they
were no longer taken SO seriously or
even listened to.
About five or six years ago, when
the city council was in session one
night, two women entered and pre-
scented petition, asking the council
to enact an ordinance, prohibiting
girls from admission at dance halls
unless accompanied by an escort, the
purpose being to bar those who came
without beaux or parents. In sup
port of the petition they took thigh
moral ground" and one would think
they expected to instill their own
great spirits into each young person
in town. The council listened to
them and made no particular COM
ment when they were gone.
Both of the women were working
in public capacity, and unknown to
the community at that time, one of
them was embezzling public money
in a small way by charging personal,
private expenses to the public purse,
and the other got at 1t just as soon
as she got to where she was allowed
to hand in her expense bills. Both
of them had to lie to get away with
it, and both of them had to swear to
accounts being correct and true when
they were false. Yet these same wo-
men would have laws passed COM
polling a girl to "have a beau" or
take parent along with her or stay
at home. She could not lock arms
with her schoolmate or neighbor girl
and go to a dance for an hour and
go home when it suited them; it must
be regulated by law, and what girl
is there that could not beat such q
law if it existed.
Beware of the person who mis-
trusts everybody and who wants to
turn the world over regulating the
other fellow. What we need chiefly
besides winning the war is sane man
agement, fair division of work and
profits, vast improvements in roads,
swift changes in vehicles and imple-
ments, and internal improvements
that will furnish employment and
market at good prices.