The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-08-17
nor POLITICS IN IDAHO.

II line 10 present 70 the stuaens cf politics
. Enost unique and interesting situatson-
Across cur eastern boundary liae Is wag-
Ing a contest :cr political supremacy
which. though similar 70 cur own, is in
many respects more interesting No man
n Idaho can .3resei the result Of the ap-
preaching election Never before u the
hist3ry Or the state has the result been
80 uncertain.
strength OF the state IRE. approximately,
as follows; Pcpulists. s..s1; Silver Eepub-
leans. sas: Republicans, $40: Democrats
fpoxxfbiy). Aee. The last legislature. il
passing the equal suffrage amendment.
added another complication for politicians
70 figure out In lsas Bryan carried the
state by a majority Of about f7.aa II
would appear upon the surface as II II
acre hopeless task for the Republicans
20 hope for anything rext November. But
they do. and with good reason ldaao's
Populi<t house Is divided beyond recouc-i-
iafion. and is shaking 10 its foundations.
Within It's fusion party is new waging the
hetcest and nio<s unrelenting personal
fight IN the history OF the party. Leading
these opposing factions are Senator Henry
Hsstfeid on one side and Congressman
Gum on the other Heitfeld viii be long
notable Is the man who superseded Frank
T. Dubois in the United States senate,
and who was laughed at for his protiigious
ignorance at that time. He has soaked UP
something during his two years in Wash
ington, however, and now IS not quite as
uncouth as formerly.
Congressman Gum succeeded Edgar
Wilson, and FOR two years has done little
10 remind the government he was in It's
service save draw his salary. Gum wants
10 he renoninated, and may be congratu-
lated upon having the majority Of the bet
ter class OF his party supporting him.
Heitfeid has but few OF the people. but all
the politicians. He numbers among his
followers such characters as Ed Boyce,
professional labor agi.ator; c. c. Fuller,
Clay McNamse and others Of more or less
similar stripe.
Not only are the Popullsis at logger
heads but the Democrats and silver Re
publicans have their troubles Gov Steu-
nenberg. a Democrat, wants denomination.
basng his claims on his gubernatorial rec
ord. but the Pops say no. Benjamin Nor
ris, a Democrat, OF Lewiston, has a GU
bernatorial bee, but Is not apt TO have his
ambition realized. In fact. the Popul!sts
intend 70 take everything III sight. They
faa hat
themselves and are not particularly anx-
ious for fusion unless it comes as they
want il.
On the other hand. the Silver Republic
ans and Democrats know. and know well,
that fusion is thbir only salvation. Sena-
tor Heitfeid recently said that he felt sure
that IS per cent. of the Silver Republicans
would return to their old party this year,
but was certain of success nevertheless.
II Is sad that Frank I. Dubois is strain
ing every nerve to prevent disintegration
OF his party, but with little success. The
Republicans Of Idaho have nothing but
contempt for Dubois and will leave moth
ing undone to bury him deeper In his po-
ltical grave.
The women's vote Is conceded to be
largely Republican. Senator Heitfeid con-
cedes this, accounting for 1t by the fact
that the large Populist strength is in the
mining district, where women are few.
while the Republican strength is in the
cities and towns.
Summing the situation up. the Republic
ans have much TO hope for. and Undoubt-
eddy have mighty good chance
to win a better chance than
they even dreamed of two months
ago. Idahoans generally realize that
the silver issue Is dead. and that the
Federal administration L. a good one-and
are proud OF 1t. They know thai their
wheat crops are large, and that they are
going to bring a good price:
they know that hops, wool and
other products are higher than for
years. They know they are hap
py. ana that Its best 10 bear with the
ills they have than 10 fly 10 those they
know net of" Knowing these things. II
is safe 10 say they viii not cast their lot
with a party whose basic features are ca
iamity and discomfort. Nominations VII
b.. made by the conventions In a few days
and the dies cast for better or for worse.