The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1920-10-18
ARCO. EDITOR DEFINES POSITION
REPLIES WITH STANDPAT CHARGE

Now as to the selection of state
officials in the direct primary, we
propose to make that so plain that
even plunger politicians can under
stand it. Mr.. Bottolfsen says the
people are capable of judging for
themselves whether they want D. w.
Davis reelected for governor and in
that respect are capable Of passing
judgment on the nomination of q
state officer. People who are seek
ing nominations for state offices are
not always running for re-nomina-
ton. Two years ago and four years
ago D. w. Davis had never acted as
governor, and the people Of this state
were called upon to decide in direct
primary whether or not D. w. Davis
of American Falls was a suitable
man for the chief executive of this
state. In the first instance they
nominated him at the primaries and
then turned him down at the Novem-
Der election for a political freak
named Alexander, who had con-
Quoted freak government for two
years. In 1918 he again went before
the people asking for the nomina-
ton and they again nominated him
and at that time elected him. We
don't know what they based their
judgment on in either case for we
doubt if more than per cent of the
people of the state had ever seen him
or had any personal acquaintance
with him. At the same primary in
1918 the people Of the state were
asked to make a choice between D.
w. Davis, Samuel A. Anterior and
Robert McCracken for governor.
Now how many people in the state
know the difference between Samuel
T. Atherton and D. w. Davis and
Robert McCracken! Perhaps one
out of hundred or perhaps only one
out Of several hundred is acquainted
with either of them. For lieutenant
governor they were asked to choose
between c. c. Moore of st. Anthony
and one Bartlett st. Clair of Kellogg,
two other men that probably ninety
nine out of every hundred never saw
or never had any acquaintance with
whatever. On the Democratic ticket
they could choose between Frank
Martin, H. F. Samuels and Edward
A. Van Sicklin.
Granting that one person out of
every 100 has some acquaintance
with these men, what have the other
ninety-nine to judge by when they
go into the booths and see those
names printed on the tickets. For
lieutenant-governor they could
choose between John M. Clark, T. G.
Wilson and Oscar G. Zuck. Probably
not more than one or two persons in
a thousand ever saw or heard of
either one of them until they saw
their names printed in newspaper
or on ticket. What has the aver
age voter to judge by! For secretary
of state they could choose between
w. T. Dougherty, W. A. Fife and w.
w. Won Cannon. For state auditor
we could decide between Edward T.
Gallet, w. T. Price and Clarence Van
Deusen. For Encouragement we
could decide between B. A. Cum
mings, T. A. Walters and Roy L.
Black. 1t is certainty that the
choice would be made and the de-
cision made by ninety-nine out of
every 100 who never saw or heard of
them until the campaign opened and
they began to see their names
printed somewhere. The other one
person out Of every 100 had probably |
seen the candidate and formed the
that they like him or that /,
they don't like him and with a great ]
many Of them this like or dislike is |
based on the color of his hair, his
the shape of his nose or
mouth or the way he conducts his
hand shake, none of which are a fit
measure Of mans ability to con-
luct department Of government.
Knowing the conditions named above
low they apply to the exercise of the
lirect primary method Of nominat-
ng state officers we repeat once
more that the people cannot vote in
diligently on the various candidates
hat come up for nomination for
tate offices, and by that is meant
ii the people of the state including
he stand-patters, the reactionaries,
he editors Of the newspapers, the
district judges, the bankers, the mer-
hants. the brokers, the potato buy
RS. 1t includes the farmers, the
wage earners, the stockmen, the
heepherders, the men who dig the
renches for the water works and the
ewers; it includes the women who
eep the homes homelike; it includes
he women and, girls who CAD the
treets, but are privileged to vote;
includes the women who attend
ink teas, and play cards and are
vell versed in just how to win the
rize at the party where they play
We hundred and whist; it includes
he women Of that kind who know
othing whatever about politics and :.
are nothing about it; it includes the
eople who never 60 to the polls I'M :.
'ss a carriage or an automobile