The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1918-09-17
THE CUSTODY OF OUR
PUBLIC FUNDS.

The people Of this county are very
much wrought up over the loss Of
something like ten dollars from
every home In the county. A grea,
deal is being said, and probably q
great deal is being felt. A good
many people feel that there is an
outrage, and a good many have
merely found some diversion, for
there is a certain element that must
I have something to talk about SO they
can hold up their hands in holy hor-
rOr.
The people Of this county are very
much like the people of all other
counties, and they are not deserving
OF SO much sympathy. If q people
have not snap enough to get down
to business and look after their own
government, and their own interests.
It is plain that someone will do it
for them. Men in this county have
boosted for years that they did not
bother with politics, that it was
rotten and that they would have
nothing to do with it,
That Is one of the many things
that Is the matter with this county,
and so long as large numbers of
citizens feel that way we shall have
just what we have been having
extravaganza and losses Of public
funds.
There is too much truth in the
statement that it does not matter
what q man does for the public they
VIII abuse him for it. They will
place an unkind construction on it.
We have seen public officials 60 to
their work early and work late,
serving cheerfully all day in all kinds
OF trying situations, and then people
who knew Of nothing wrong in any
respect would make remarks to the
effect that he was feathering his
nest with the peoples money or that
he was morally corrupt. Some Of
these same people hold themselves
aloOf from politics as If afraid of
being polluted, but to put it more
exactly, they do it from laziness or
to keep from showing how little they
really know. 1t is easier to 60 about
making wise, remarks than to get
into the work and accomplish some
thing.
People in this county have been
0SJAAo loA yOdlo JudL IuGT0 HAS |
always been grating in the world |
and that there always would be, and
they have sought to discourage eff
forts to make grating more difficult
and less profitable. They have also
discouraged suggestions to have men
in positions of public trust checked
up or audited at times so we should
know what is doing and to remove
temptation from their operations.
The man who knows his work is
going to be audited does not mix the
public money with his own. He keeps
it straight.
Whenever the people of this
county decide that they are not too
good to meet the responsibilities of
when they decide that
they are not too indolent, when they ,,
decide that they are willing to ex-
pose their own ignorance and to get
in and learn along with the rest,
when they decide that their own
characters are strong enough so they :
will not melt and run into level
with those who have no :
honor, when they can go into bad
situation and stand firm and I'M q
polluted for what is right, and come a
out clean and strong, then if they
will act on their convictions and keep
IN acting, this county can be made q
/ good place to live, and probably I
he best governed county in the state, G
which isn't saying so very much. z
a