The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-09-07
AFFAIRS AT BOISE.
Freddy Dubois and His Little
Fishing Trip.
Is THE CONSTITUTION VALID!
The Apathy of the People Evident-The Rail
way 0utlook-GOid in Boise Basin
General News Items.

ernor Shoup and Delegate Dubois are alb
sent from the city. The former left about
two weeks ago with the intention of visit
ing the encsmpment of the Grand Army OF
the Republic at Milwaukee, anu about the
same time Dubois left with his brother and
"A son of Secretary Curtis, with the avowed
intention of enjoying a fishing excursion
in the National park. 1t is believed by
many that the governor and delegate have
met ere this east of the Mississippi river
and proceeded to Washington there to ar
range with the President for calling a
special session of our immortal Fifteenth
session, so that it may elect United States
senators or arrange for an
ELECTION OF STATE OFFICERS
and legislature this fall. 1t is objected that
the constitution that has been framed pro
vides for an election only after the admis-
sion of the territory and that Dubois will
not dare be party to procuring an election
10 be called in COntraventiOn of its terms.
The constitution is no legal instrument and
the fact that it was gotten up in the capital
building does not make it such any more
than 1t would make the man horse who
happened to be born in barn. Whatever
the delegate will not do or dare to promote
his political advancement we have yet to
learn. He can importune the President to
authorize the governor to call the legisla-
ture together for the purpose of legalizing
the election when the constitution is sub
mitted and do and perform all such other
acts as shall be necessary for the proper
representation of Idaho as a state in
THE EVENT OF ITS RATIFICATION
by the people. More than this it may and
probably would be held, if there was any
party necessity for it, that such part of the
constitution as provides for the holding of
an election after its adoption constituted no
part of delegated powers by the people,
beyond the province of the convention
even were it a legal body and usurpation
of the prerogativeS of Congress which alone
had the power TO determine when the first
election might be held. This provision
being declared a nullity, might be regarded
as mere surplusage, when it would be a
very easy thing for a legislature TO provide
for a state election at the same time the
constitution was submitted. The evident
apathy of the people will nerve the leaders
in the statehood movement to leave no
stone unturned to accomplish their object.
THEY DISLIKE THE IDEA
of knocking for admis sion with showing
Of less than ten thousand voters, with four
thousand or more of these opposed to state
hood. The results flowing from rejection
or ratification of the constitution are not
sufficiently direct to enlist the interest of
the masses. In it they find no friend to
congratulate or condOle with after the re-
suit has been declared. All efforts on the
part of politicians to galvanize them into
life have proved fruitless and vain. There
are election districts in Idaho where the
voter must 60 thirty miles to deposit his
ballot. This he may do under the strain
ut tod 1efaaW k..nN -
This state OF affairs doubtless tends very
much to the annoyance of those who hope
to become senators and representatives IN
Congress. This class of our feloW-citizepy
feel that
THB PEOPLE ARE UTTERLY LOST
70 the most common impulses of patriot
ism when they refuse to sneeze when the
former have taken snuff. When the pro-
position alluded to, relating to voting for
state officers at the same time the constitu-
ton shall be submitted, came up for CON
sideration during the closing hours of the
convention, the argument was made use
OF among themselves that such course was
not only necessary to call out the vote, but
that such vote would surely be Republican,
because the argument could and would be
made use of that there would be nOstateh0od
unless the Republican party were success
ful. Thus they were willing 10 aYow on
the stump that the President of the United
states was mere partisan, the Republican
side Of the Senate and House Of Repre-
sentatiYeB destitute of honor, patriotism OF
a es and willing TO sacrifice the ;;,ood ~
The conntry-to Ignore all ons;,orot$; OOa OF OF
RA1 PUBLIC WELFARE
if thereby votes in Congress could be
gained If the political atmosphere of
Washington is thus tainted we shall always
oppose any further sending of that guileless
young gentleman, Mr.. Dubois, to the ma
tional capital. His friends should use their
best efforts to keep him in Idaho, where he
may yet gain credit ard renown as Sun
day school teacher. The Republicans arc
evincing the utmost solicitude of late for
the interests Of tle Democratic party. One
high in their councils said to your CORE
spondent few days ago: "You Democrats
may defeat statehood, but if you do it will
destroy your party If this be the fact
the democrats are badly checkmated. If
we do not defeat it we have saddled upon
US a dishonest-aye, criminal apportion-
ment-sct, designed to smother the voice
Of the people. Criminal we said-and from
our standpoint tits morally as much
CRIME AGAINST THE PEOPLE
and the government as treason itself
Upon the other hand the Republicans
threaten US with dire destruction in case
the constitution should be defeated. We
do not know that we could accomplish the
overthrow Of the constitution before the
people now if az endeavor should be con-
certedly made in that direction. That we
could do SO with ease, could the people be
made to understand it, there is no doubt. If
the party is 70 go to the dogs in any event
we know of no more honorable and respect
able method than in endeavoring to tear
down something our opponents are trying
TO build up. 1t is pretty safe to take it for
granted that the public interest will be
BEST concerned in opposing whatever they
undertake.
Surveyor General Joseph B. Straughan !
q
MAKIEG NEW NAP
for the Boise city board of trade showing
all the railroads and proposed roads point |
ing in the direction of Boise city. The |
Oregon Pacific and Chicago g. North !
western have been talked of longer than |
any other and are assigned very promi- |
nent place in the anticipated network of
railroads that are TO gridiron the territory |
and centre here. Chief Engineer Stewart
OF the former road and once superlntend-
emit of the Idaho Central, was in this city
about two months ago While here he said
to your correspondent that the Oregon
Pacific had dispose of its bonds without
difficulty and the road would be rapidly
pushed TO completion and be in Boise city
within eighteen months. The Chicago &
Northwestern is now completed to Casper,
eighty-fve miles west of Fort FetterInan
and
CONTRACTS HAVE BEEN LET
for the grading two hundred miles beyond |
that point which will bring it into or near
Idaho. It is probable that not many
months will transnire before il will be |