The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1923-05-22
Menace of Swiss Navy
By Guy Flenner

NNktF A0N a''aAtaT 1'1 0tAA - ~ Rfh
gesi single developments in the histor,
OF South Idaho, was threatened witt
serious delay. if not abandonment, ant
all other reclamation activity in thil
state was similarly m~enaced-by thu
Swiss navyl
There is no Swiss navy, you know
and there was not so much real basis
as claimed, for statements that men
aoed irrigated Idaho's advancement
AMI what there wa might have been
courageously left unfired.
The Swiss navy in this case was rep
reservations giving an exaggerated
idea of the conditions in this state.
Some of those resolutions, and dec
larations in other forms, sounded like
a famine in Russia. They told of the
terrible conditionsl-so bad that no
one could pay the government what
he owed under reclamation contracts.
These statements went to congress,
and officials in Washington, and. the
worst OF all, over all the United States.
telling the nation that Idaho was i'm
poverished and l~ifeless.
The enemies of reclamation-those
who oppose spending any government
money excepting on eastern and south
ern harbors, rivers and creeks-were
delighted to have the west furnish this
evidence for their campaign against
the west. And what does anyone inn
agine investors and prospective home
seekers thought about that testimony
True, conditions had not been the
best here, but we participated in a ma
tion-wide depression. Why shouldn't
our balloon come down after the war;,
The other fellows did. We did pretty
well during the war. Why not take
our own medicine if we fooled the
gate receipts away?
People who owe Uncle Sam for
money advance ought to expect to pay
it the same as any other debt. They
should not all expect blanket and in
determinable extension OF relief be-
cause some really need and should
have il. And above all. they should
not spread alarm to the detriment of
their state.
We have got to forget this Swiss
navy stuff and, in the knowlede that
we have one Of the most promising
states in the northwest. get in and
drill.
Perhaps it may not be cause for
wonderment that hard working, indus
trious, thrifty but temporarily depress-
ed and discouraged people are too Of
ten unnecessarily alarmed when men
who are posed as leaders OF thought
are continually setting up sc~arccrowsl
1t is regrettable that there is a class
of politicians everlastingly Grating and
writing about the Swiss navy.
Why do not these men rise TO con- I
structive standardsi Why do they ap- a
parently Law awake nights devising {
bugaboos with which to brighten the :
farmer, the laborer and the merchant. a
attempting to force themselves into t
position of dciivercrs? u
The ammunition of these %gunners q
the Swiss navy is abundant, if sput- a
terry, they shoot with ccaseless energy. u
Everything is going to the eternal a
bow-wows unless. forsooth. they shall a
be put on a pedestal and into office Is
and kept there. Taxes, freight rates, II
religion, schools, highways, bobbed
hair, earrings, jazz music. ct cetera and r
hen some are employed to invite at
iention to themselves and to scare the
public into a series of fits so the pub
&c may hail them as the only doctors.
Also IT seems necessary to keep the
people stirred up over politics l2l
months each year, to the DISADVANTAGE 4
IT their employment and business-;,
or it is always easier to put over fall :,
acies when the audience is discomfort II
d. IT,
Things too high9 Some verywrong?, Il
Certainly; but such men do little il RI
nything TO produce a remedy. They r,
re long on salvos and short on solu- n
ions. What there is 10 cmbroil folks y,
I home until the latter are hardly cap a,
of calm judgment. and antagonize Il
Inside agencies that could be made i
in our development through :,
criticism instead OF possible I.
pponenss because of bitter and mean :,
Igless attack. Ia,
No wonder we common folks some =.
get scared without reason when a
'ese men vooiferate that the Swiss
IVY will get us If we don't watch out.