Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1923-11-09
GETTING BACK TO THE PEOPLE

citizens. II Is emphasizing the We
essential fact that under our form
popular government people get Ju
what they deserve. II what they q
is not to their liking, they alone an
TO blame. The remedy is In their ow
hands. II they fail to apply it. self
government is. to that degree. a fail
ure.
official election returns furnish
striking proof Of the Indifference oil
the people to their gvernment. The
largest vote ever cast in presi-
Dental election was cast in 1920.
Yet only AZ per cent of the legal
voters In the United States exercised
the right OF citizenship in that cleo
ton.
II is an alarming fact, disclosed by
official election returns, that very
seldom do more TIM 80 per cent OF
the total voting population take part
In elections which determine who
erd and state offices In some states
within the last two years less than
20 per cent OF the total voting popu-
lation participated In the election of
United States senator's. In many
cases only ten to twelve per cent of
the citizens took part In their local
elections.
Those who complain about the man
ner in which their local governments
are run should conduct searching
self examination to ascertain whether
or not they have done their duties as
citizens
There Is another phase of this pub
lie Indifference to the exercise of the
rights and duties of citizenship. May
II not be likely that some of this in
difference is due TO the growth sof
government paternallsm? During the
last few years the doctrine has found
favor that not only public troubles
but business troubles, and in some
personal troubles, should be
handled by some government agency.
Citizens have acquired the habit OF .
to Washington or to their
tate capital with their troubles in :
tead OF first attempting something
n the way OF self-help. Communi-
les have expected state or federal
overnments to do things for them
fhIch they should do for themselves
State or federal agencies have been :,
xpected by the individual to compel q
i'm and his neighbors TO observe laws
nd regulations which he and mis-
eighbors should observe OF their own ~
rec Will state and federal agencies q,
ave been expected to assume in a N
lrge measure the duties and respon- te
Utilities Of parents. te
Various activities and enterprises o.
ave taken kindly to the paternalistic tt
lem a guaranteed profit or a guar =.
lteed price that II should save them o,
ON the evil OF their own misman- III
,ement and lack OF initiative. Ex- M
nded to the individual. this pater- a. a.
listic doctrine embraces a system So
pensions and insurance which de- ST
roys all incentive 10 individual In W
stry and economy. IL places the -
iftless and incident on exactly the IN,
me basis with the thrifty and in CN
strious.
This doctrine Of letting George DO
wherever the conduct Of public
fairs r. concerned f. largely respOn-
BE for the Increased taxes which
nicf every community. largely re-
onsible for the lax methods which
evan in governmental affairs. for
E MULTIPLICATION ~ needless COM
ssions aro bureaus and official
,s' 10 short for . yery large per-
lfaee n ne economic sne political
lvoies which esisf todsy
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