The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1919-04-01
OUR MUNICIPAL
PROGRAM


eminent should be active now or
prepare to remain rather silent for
a couple of years. The folks who
take no part in selecting mayor
and council will have little right to
complain if the administration does
not suit them. If they help select
officials, they have better right to
express their views and preferences
in an advisory manner during the
term of office.
The people who are busy trying to
make selection of city officials,
would do we'll to get together and
make up their states of the best
men, and do this frankly and with
out deceit. If there are differences
as to what policies should be pur-
sued after election, then those things
are proper materials for platforms
to run on. Until difference of pol
icies is developed, there is no ex-
cuse for more than one ticket in the
field. A choice of men can be made
before nominations as we'll as after.
If all are for progress, as it appears
that they are, then there remains
only the choice of men who can and
who are willing to serve.
If this reasoning Is true, one care
fully selected ticket should be placed
in nomination, it should be supported
by all, and instead of people running
around on election day contesting
blindly for their individual candi-
dates, and using up gasoline for no
purpose, they might better make it
cleanup day and all hands turn out
and clean up the town with shovel
and rake and pruning shears. Rub
bish should be banished, not burned,
and in the course of the day, all
should go to the polls to cast his
or her vote.
1t would be a very fine thing for
all Of us, to line up around the
streets and lots, working that day,
and to meet in our working clothes
at the polls. We would then be
meeting on a common level for a
common purpose, and not wasting
our energies on fancied differences.
This office has no individuals to
suggest for office, but we have poll
cies to offer. We are for progress,
ments. We are consistent in paying
our own taxes and demanding more
improvements that are going to cost
money. We shall be surprised, and
may criticise, men who endorse these
policies and run for office and yet
have not shown their faith in the
town by buying ground and erecting
buildings so they will be obliged to
help pay the taxes they levy. The
man who rents home and rents an
office or store building and has no
property but what he can put into
crates and boxes and move out Of the
jurisdiction of our assessor, may be
a perfectly good man to elect to Of
will be under fire on matters OF
taxes. He cannot claim to be act
ing upon his own advice. Men who
have been here may years, waiting
to see whether the town would
amount to anything, might be ana
lying themselves to see If they have
contributed anything to it's growth
or whether they have hindered its
development by their unprogressive
methods.
We have very little sympathy for
the man who is always worried about
taxes. Any time that man thinks
taxes are too high for him he has
resource to the sale o fhis property.
II man is keeping his property in
the face of rising taxes, why does
he keep It? II he is not acquiring
property and yet advising people to
make improvements, why doesn't he
act on his own advice?