The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1919-03-25
CITY CAMPAIGN
OPENS in REVIEW
New Resolves Made Are
BETTING to Great
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Future
MEETING WE'D. EVE.


pie Of Blackfoot should awake to the
fact that the town Is going to grow
into a large town and then to city.
The things Of a village will not suf-
flee for Che future. The enjoyment
of the privileges and advantages of
the larger municipality, carry also
the responsibilities that go with it,
and men must rise to the demands of
the times.
How Blackfoot Curbs Its Men
>Blackfoot as a village developed
a good many able men, but owing
partly to the environment created
and preserved by its people, most of
them have gone away, and there are
ut present only few men in the
town showing marked ability. 1t
has been the practice of the towns
people for the most part to discOur-
age the development of it's aspiring
and ambitious young men and to
block the enterprise of able men who
came in. That leaves the town with
lot of men Of just medium ability,
without lofty purposes and without
the large vision that goes with lead
ership and worthy achievement.
Suffered Such Handicap
The town has always had marked
natural advantages, and has pros
pered notwithstanding the narrow
methods and narrow vision of it's
builders. 1t needs now to think in
larger figures, to plan with broader
purposes and look to a greater fu-
ture. 1t needs to accept the clearer
vision of such leaders as it has, and
in blind faith launch out on broad
principles to prepare for the greater
growth that is coming. 1t needs to
break up some of its cliques, forget
some of its small circles of activity,
concede that the other fellow has
- ability and can do something If given
opportunity, and accept promptly the
valuable lessons of cooperation
taught by the world war.
High Fellowship and Low Morality
Blackfoot has queer mixture of
low morality and high fellowship. Its
fellowship and fraternalism as cul-
tivated by it's cliques and lodges is
so high that it excuses crime if COM
mitted by members of the clique or
lodge or circle of associates. During
the past nine months it has been
proving this by admitting that it
makes difference who tampers
with the public funds and school
moneys. At this time there Is talk
of electing to city office, members of
the school board in the face Of their
action Of the past few months of
condoning the misappropriation of
school money in their control and
keeping. Blackfoot has such lack
of sterling character that it hasn't
the nerve to say to six men of the
school board, "You have been
weighed in the scales of public trust
and found wanting, and we will let
you take a back seat in the town
meetings. The men who govern this
age to protect the school treasury
even against your friend and daily
associate, and now that you have
been buncoed and indicated that you
approved Of the buncoing, we will
leave you off the roster of the city
government till you get WELL"
Wipe Out the Past and Awake
The men Of Blackfoot haven't the
nerve to say that. The women of
Blackfoot haven't the lofty vision to
encourage their husbands if they
took such a stand. But they can
wake up and take the broader view
and cultivate lofty purposes here
after. This paper will support for
office, the most progressive men that
are nominated, and will be slow to
make fight on any man by reason
of his lack Of courage and progress
siveness in the past, or his weakness
in compromising with wrongs al
ready committed. If the town wants
to start clean slate, set its star
high and hitch it's wagon to a big
leader, we shall rejoice If all the
weak brothers of the old sleepy days
will lend hand rather than organize
opposition as heretofore.
Town Forced to Grow Now
The growth Of Blackfoot is going
to be quickened by the building of