Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-26
Cross Examination of Idaho's Gov
ernor Resumed.
4 CONTINUOUS STATE OF REBELLION
He Says It Existed in the Occur
dAIene District.
WHY HE SENT SINCLAIR

Governor steunenberg's eross-examina-
ton continued today in the Occur dAlene
investigation before the House committee
on military affairs.
Representative Sulzer of New York direct
ed the cross-examination, inquiring how
the governor justified the continuance Of
martial law.
The witness said there had been con-
tnuous state of rebellion in the Occur
d'Alene district, and while it did not take
on the form of armed resistance, there was
at all times opposition to the policy Of the
state authorities, an effort to thwart them
and to bring a renewal of the old condition
of affairs.
Mr.. SuIzer pressed for specification of
names and events in this disorder, but the
governor said it was general in character,
and specific outbreaks We're not likely to
occur while the authorities continued to act
with firmness.
The governor said he was not in favor of
solitary confinement of prisoners unless
they were guilty of some tnfraction of
prison rules. If such imprisonment had oc-
CURED, he said. he was responsible for 1t,
although he did not favor 1t except on the
conditions stated
When asked If he had conferred with the
R,,n,.-er Hill mine officials and others with
a view breaking up the labor organiza-
tions the eo,~ernor said he had not. he
htADOA
izations in Shoshone ccunty existed only in
name, their real policy bclng dominated
by criminals ,
When asked to specify the sc-called
criminals the governor said he did not cn,Se
to give names and he judged only by re-
suits.
Governor Steunenberg was asked why he
did not resort to the posse com1tatus, call
ing on citizens to aid the sheriff in main
tanning order.
Preferred Troops to Citizens.
He said he did not believe the ordinary
civil procedure was sufficient to deal with
the situation. He was confronted with a
crisis, he said, and he acted to the best of
his ability and judgment to meet the crisis,
although it was possible, he answered Mr..
Sulzer, that he might have erred.
Representative Cox of Tennessee asked
the governor why he did not call the citi-
zens of adjoining counties to his assist
ance.
Gov. Steunenberg replied that he had a
far better way to secure federal aid in the
absence of the state troops in the Philip
pines. Citizens if called out would have
gone to the scene in a disorganiZed state.
He denied that this was a reflection on the
citizens and said 1t was his choice as the
best remedy available.
When Mr. Cox asked why the governor
did not send the lieutenant governor to rep
resent him at Occur dAlene instead of
that fellow Sinclair" Gov. Steunenberg
took exception to the characterization OF
Sinclair.
Why Sinclair Was Sent.
Mr.. Cox explained that this was merely
an insinuation, to which the governor re-
piled that he was not answering insinua-
tions He had not chosen the lieutenant
governor to act, he said, because he, the
governor, and not the lieutenant governor,
was the responsible officer. and he chose
Sinclair on his own responsibility.
Gov Steunenberg said that at present
there were three troops Of cavalry. about
200 men, in the Coeur d'Aiene district, but
on December ! last the troops were with
drawn from guard duty and went into gar
rison. Troops were no longer at the mines,
and there was no stockade. The governor
said he made this explanation in view of
persistent representations that the stock
ade was still in use, with federal troops
on guard.
At noon the committee adjourned until
tomorrow with Gov. Steunenberg still on
the stand.