The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1918-10-23
SENATOR BORAH
MAKES STATEMENT

SENIOR U. S. SENATOR FROM
IDAHO REVIEWS WORK HE
HAS DONE IN SENATE
Political ambitions sometimes sway
strong minds from their source of
duty, and innermost convictions. Po-
litical aspirants are only too often
found in the rank and file of those
catering to the momentary public
clamor, and riding on the hobby horse
of present "isms" in controvention of
what they know to be in direct con-
flict with their better judgment and
Of others rights. Such public men
last but day in the mind and men,
ory of the sound thinking, speaking
and acting people Of their surround
ing territorial habitation. They ex-
hibit neither forethought, force of
character nor stability to say the least.
Each incoming popular wave sweeps
them hither and thither headlong into
its abyss until at last they fail to
survive and perish through their own
perfidy and weakness.
The great controlling mass of the
American people of today soon discern
SuCI Clldl dCbOlOy Ou CIlC OCIlCI lldllOy
the man Of sound judgment, possess
ly announce his convictions openly
and avowedly, before the world when
necessity demands, is the one whom
all must and do honor and respect; a
few jealous individuals may trot along
and bark at his heels, while the great
thinking public are erecting an ever
lasting monument of fidelity, respect
and admiration for him and his name.
Idaho's senior U. S. senator, VIM. E.
Borah, was on the eve of the coming
election called upon to decide and an
nounce to the world what his position
and vote in the U. S. senate would be
on the Woman Suffrage bill. He had
given the question long and arduous
thought; to vote for the bill would |
please a great portion of the voters |
of Idaho; to vote against it meant |
their displeasure and possibly his de- |
feat at the coming election. Mature |
deliberation has convinced him that he |
had but one duty to perform and that |
was to follow the dictates of his own
clear conscience. "Hue to the line and |
let the chips fall where they may"
If his vote was to be the price of |
reelection, then such should it be; he |
possessed the strength and force of |
character to perform his duty in the |
premise as his mind dictated.
There were two sides to the ques
ton, one might to make right, that is,
to force woman suffrage upon the
people of the states of the Union
whose inhabitants were not in accord
with it and who had so registered their
decision by their votes at the polls in
their respective states. The other, to
say to such states, 81 will not enforce
upon you such a franchise until the
majority of your people speaking
through your votes, ask it." He fol-
lowed the latter and right course.
Here is what the New York Times,
one of the leading daily newspapers in
The .JnIted States, under date of Sep
5ember 24th, 1918, says in relation to
Senator Borah's attitude:
"The vote on the woman suffrage
will be taken on Thursday.
There must be many millions of Am
sricans who believe that, good or bad,
suffrage is a matter for the several
states to decide for themselves.
While so many easy politicians of
Ill parties are tumbling over one an
,ther in their zeal for the mythical
Woman vote" it was refreshing to
anybody so belated as to believe in
political principles to hear Senator
3orah of Idaho, who has worked for
woman suffrage for twenty-five years,
rive his reasoned and philosophical
opinion. He has always believed that
woman suffrage is question which
would be settled by and through the
lction of each state for ITSELF and
lie believes so now Yet in letter
ecently published Mr.. Borah says:
1.-The question involves vital
'rinciple of government l cannot
each the conclusion that the right to
etermine who shall vote should be |,
aiken away from the states.
1T involves one of the most seri- {
US problems that can be presented !
t is a question of changing the whole
fter the states have been robbed of
heir right to pass upon the question :
f franchise, there is no longer any l
tate. 1t is then simply a geograph- 9
,al expression. And you cannot have I
big federal Union without great and c
oWerful commonwealths upon which 1
he Union may rest.
The question put up to me by our
yomen is: Shall l surrender my con-
lotions touching the framework of
ne government for party expedi-
ncy?' Mr.. Borah has thought good 7
cal about the subject, and he cannot :
hange his convictions for political
xpediency.'
"On account of the race question, i
} force this amendment upon the
puthern states is to do them an ir-
svocable injustice. q
when this frightful war is over Y
e will need a united country as never y
efore. The strain upon our frame of q q
overnment will be almost beyond ?
= : - "