Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1892-01-25
|CLAGET'1 VS. DUBOIS.
THE FACTS BEARING UPON THIS
MEMORABLE CONTEST.

mr.. Clagett Refused All Proposals to
Assure North Idaho Oae senator
The People Of the State Satisfied with
the Result-E,c.
In last Fridays TIMES we stated
the legal propositions upon which
Halbert b. Paine, leading counsel for
Mr.. Dubois, rested his case; also the
learned gentleman's conclusion iu
which h~ demonstrated that far from
any injustice having been done to
North Idaho, that region had more
than fair share Of the importaI t
Offices within the gift OF the Republi-
cans of Idaho. We also gave Mr..
Prices summary of the facts bearing
upon the question. We to-day quote
Mr.. Price at greater length, because
his argument will, like Mr. Paine's,
become part OF the history of the
State.
He said:
The first grievance set up is the
alleged violation of the State plat>
form.
Now, il it be admitted that the
resolution providing for a Senator
from North Idaho was the expression
OF the wish Of the party at large rather
than the result Of manipulation, or
even the expression OF the sentiments
Of the delegates to the convention, it
nevertheless cannot be contend ed
that the resolution must control the
members of the Legislature in their
selection of Senators nor be construed
into pledge to anything on their
part; nor can il be maintained that
their refusal to adopt it is u positive
guide to their departure from perfect
rec,itudc and gooi faith. The Re-
publican membership of the Legisla
ture was forty.four Of total appor.
tionment OF fiftv>iour. They we're
elected directly by the people after a
stirring campaign in which the Scnu.
torial election was the centre of pub.
lie interest. They formed in Them
selves the highest exponent of the
party, and represented in the highes,
sense the party will The Legislators
were not nominated by the State con
vsntion. but by their own district and
a.
at q time prior u the State conven-
ton. Each member WAS either in-
structed by the convention which
nominated him or was informed Of the
desires Of his constituency personally
regarding the choice fol Senators. No
ona OF these accepted a nomination
OH the State platform, or was asked
to conform to its declarations. On
the contrary, as was shown by Mr..
Del.amar Memorial, p 20), such del
egates in the State convention as had
been or expected to be nominated AS
candidates for the Legislature ex-
pres>ly refused to vote on the resolu.
ton, giving as a reason that they
could not be bound by the action Of
the State Convention but were respon-
sible only to their own immediate
constituency; and upon their declin-
ing to vote, a resolution was adopted
by the convention excusiny them
from voting on that question. The
preteEse that this resolution was of
material assistance in carrying the
election, or that it affected the result,
ut all, is idle and shallow; for the
Democratic State platform contained
the identical proposition. And yet it
is seriously advanced by many OF
contestants witnesses. (Ncmoriai,
appendix, DeLamar, p. 20; Sperry, p.
II; Wing, pss2S; Casey, p. 20
The subject of this resolution was
not al issue IN the campaign. There
was to occasion to discuss it, aud 1t
was not discussed, aud it could not
have changed a vote one way or the
other.
But whether they were pledged to
elect one Senator from the northern
part of the State or not, there was d
small minority in the State strenu.
ously demanding, and two candidates
for the Senate from that section in.
sisting upon it not ohly as matter OF
party policy hut of party faith; and
the Republican members generally
were anxious TO reach result, il
possible, which should satisfy sl
claims.
When the Wyoming Senators drew
to terms and the Idaho Legislature
had notice that there was a Senator t.