The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1923-02-22
THE CITY
ELECTION

Next month the people of Black
foot must nominate some city Of
ficials for election in April. If the
same officials are to be reelected
the same procedure must be taken
so it is timely to be thinking it over
This paper generally advocates the
reelection of officials who have been
faithful in the performance of their
duties if they have also been intelli-
gent and active. Two years ago we
advocated. the return of the mayor
and council, and the nominating con-
vention had different ideas about it.
They nominated new man for
mayor and new men for most places
on the council, and now we are as
confident that they are the best quail
fed as we were then that the old Of
ficials were the best ones. At the
nominating convention two years
ago, certain we'll informed gentle
man of the town made speech re-
commencing the reelection of the
old officials, and with one news
paper and one well-informed man
speaking to the same effect, one
might think that the old officials
might win, but it was ordered diff
ferent. The convention paid about
as much attention to what had been
published and said, as if nothing had
been done. They had opinions that
were very pronounced, and they pro-
nounced them.
Notwithstanding the rebuff of that
event we want to say the same thing
now that we said then-that we be-
lieve he mayor and council have
worked hard and carefully to secure
the new water system and to protect
the city in all matters and get it's
finances into healthy condition, and
that they know more about how it is
done than any other men who might
be selected. We believe that expert
ence is preparation in attending to
such things, and that preparation is
very important. If a business house
changed managers every two years
it would be greatly handicapped, and
the reason why changes of managers
in city and county management do
not bankrupt the concerns is that the
public are an unlimited mine of
wealth to draw upon to cover the ex-
penses and losses.
The present council have reduced
GENERATING expenses of the city gov
eminent to necessities and have COM
petitive prices on what they have to
buy or pay for them. If there is any
graft or waste in the city govern
ment we are not aware of it, and the
newspapers in Blackfoot do not have
any reason to misrepresent condi-
lions or advocate the election of any
no tn,. +to1-A ols<
by mutual agreement made a few
years ago, the newspaper patronage
of the city government is equally
divided regardless of the support or
lack Of support given in any city
campaign. Before that time the
newspaper that asked for share of |
the city printing and publishing was
likely to have it thrown up to him
that it did not advocate the election |
of the party in power and that they |
did not owe him anything in particu- |
lar.
That was corrupt practice. It
meant simply that the publisher who |
was not willing to support some
certain ticket, right or wrong, was
pretty likely to see the business
given to somebody else. After many
efforts to change the practice, it was
given a trial, on the present basis
and it wiped out the only remaining
reasons for corrupting the press and
deceiving or attempting to deceive
the people. and it has worked so
satisfactorily it is still followed.
We are not advocating the re-
election of the old officials on &C
count of past favors, for we have
not been favored, nor are we COM
planning. With expensive equip
ment for turning out job printing,
we do not think we have had SIC
worth of city job printing in several
years, tho we paid more city taxes {
han all the other printing houses in ;
own combined. We have good will !
Tor the other printers and do not
worry when they receive their share t
md ours too. We mention .existing t
conditions so the public may know s
hat. what is said by the local news S
'apers regarding city politics is Z
likely to be the unbiased beliefs of /
he editors and not inspired by an I
Mort to get business. When the t
anne practice is followed in county t
olitics there will be more truth t
nd fairness and less of bunk in the Il
ewspapers. And it looks as if such a
ractice were on its way, for the r
My candidate in the last county t
who seemed to be "syndi- Il
ating" most of the newspapers, was t
etired to private life. A little more a
that kind of experience, and il
andidates will not let anything ap-
ear in the papers that looks like fl
printing them into Office" and D
hatever is said will be the honest a
pinion of the publishers, and that Il
what the people want. ii