The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1920-10-18

account of his position relative to the
direct primary, replies and says, first
that he is not running on the Demo-
cratic ticket; he is a Republican and
is running on the Republican ticket.
He says he is progressive Republic
can and brands the editor of The
Idaho Republican as a stand-pat Re-
publican to which we plead guilty
and are glad.
Mr.. Bottolfsen made the statement
that he is for the direct primary both
in state and county nomination and
that he Is for the referendum and
recall.
We think that ought to settle it.
A man who Is for the referendum
and recall in addition to the direct
primary for statewide nominations,
the man who favors these things
after the experience of the past in
this state and Oregon and California,
If he represents the ideas of his con-
stituents, he ought to be sent to the
legislature until they are completely
satisfied.
In speaking of the type of govern
mental politics advocated by the
editor Of the Idaho Republican, Mr..
Bottolfsen brands it as reactionary,
which is defined in the dictionary
as being opposed to progress. That
Is one Of the favorite expressions
used by the fellows who are always
ready to take a plunge in some new
political experiment. They apply the
word to all who oppose them, no
matter whether it is characteristic
Of the man and his business and po-
litical operations or not. For illus
tration, If man were sound and re-
liable in business and successful and
productive in his business and were
using the things that were the most
modern and up-to-date and were a
pioneer in whatever was reasonable
and new and progressive arising
from invention and the application
of science; if he had a record for be-
ing successful in whatever he under
took and did not make any failures;
If he studied politics and the science
of government and differed from
them in politics; they would brand
him as reactionary-a man OPP
posed to progress, even tho they
themselves were not progressive in
these others things they would feel
that they were licensed to sit in
Judgment on the other fellow. There
is nothing personal in this compari-
son, but it is fitting in general way
to the use of the word reactionary
as we find it used in politics.
Editor Bottolfsen has another
tendency that is always found in the
plungers in politics-that is he keeps
referring to the bosses. In all our
experience in politics we have hardly
ever found anybody who seems to us
to be political boss. We have felt
around for the bosses and the men
who are reputed to be bosses are gen.
orally the most careful not to boss
anybody, or at least it seems so to
us. They always leave fellow free
and seem to wish to have him act on
his own ideas or his own wishes.
Those who act the part of bosses or
come the nearest trying to be bosses
are the ignoramuses who go and hear
the agitator-speaker in his long
harangue about stand-patters, re-
dictionaries, gangsters and bosses,
join the organizations, pay their fees,
go out to read the riot act to the
local editor or the local banker or
the local merchant or the local po-
tato buyer and in no uncertain terms
tell them where to head in. We have
had that kind of fellows come into
our office by ones and twos and trios,
and in little delegations to tell us
how to run our paper and what |
would become of us If we did not do |
It their way. We have had them |
stop us on the street and deliver to |
Us our obituary from their stand
point. They look to us like gang
'ters, they sound to us like would
be bosses and they force a man to
stand pat. II he has the backbone
% succeed in standing pat he will
witness the time when they are look
ng for opportunities to apologize
or their former attitude.
That kind Of people make the
anne mistake that Editor Bottolfsen
las fallen into in this; he makes the
statement that the editor of this
,aper thinks that the common people
re not intelligent enough to vote
N the nomination OF state officers.
lie put it in capital letters to more
uccessfully flaunt the idea that
'rego does not think the common
eople are intelligent. That is an
dea and a method seized upon by the
angsters we have just been speak
ng Of. Here is the correct state
1ent of the situation without any
rejudice or bias or any attempt to
DOL anybody.
The people Of county are likely ,
D be somewhat acquainted with the !
eading men and women of their |