The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-09-10
PAUL coRcoHAn.

The opposition to the pardon
of Paul Corcoran is centralized in
Metropolitan party. 1t is the
republican press of the State
that is accusing Governor Hunt
with granting the pardon of
Corcoran for political reasons.
All the jingo organs of the re-
publican party throughout the
State are denouncing Governor
Hunt, and are charging that he
prostituted the high Office of
governor to give man convicted
of murder his liberty for pledges
of political. The charge is un.
true. But it comes with mighty
poor grace for the republicans to
make any such charge. There
was not an hour during the last
campaign that they did not stand
around like hungry coyotes, beg
ging for the privilege of pledg.
ing the pardon in consideration
of the labor vote. "Corcoran is
innocent if you vote our ticket
and he is guilty if you do not"
was the confidential platform of
the republican party of Idaho
last year. The leaders were
anxious to pledge their nominee
for governor TO pardon Corcoran
if the laboring people would only
pledge him their support. Nor
is this all. During the senator
ial contest in the legislature last
winter and as an inducement to
the democratic representatives
from this county to vote for
Shoup they offered to pledge the
pardon of Corcoran, and deposit
cash forfeiture of twenty five
thousand dollars to make the
pledge good. 1t is true they did
not possess the pardoning power
at that time, but tho argument
was made that with the republi-
can party of the state concen-
trated in favor of his pardon it
would carry with it the judge,
jury and all other parties con
nected with his prosecution and
conviction and would make the
demand for his pardon so unani-
nous that no administration
would dare refuse it. Their
whole stock in trade was to swap
pardons for public office and
political power, and for days
they kept their emissaries to
Boise to-, if possible, corrupt the
legislators and consummate the
deal. We are heartily glad that
the republican press of Idaho is
making political charges against
Governor Hunt in connection
with the pardon of Corcoran. 1t
affords an opportunity to acquaint
the public with the disgraceful
record of the republican party
in the same case. They were
willing to put pardons on the
auction block and sell them for
power and Office with less com
junction than did ancient pre-
lates sell absolution for ecclesi-
astical prestige. They made it a
jackpot on the poker board of
Idaho politics in the last cam
paign aud the guilt or innocence
of Paul Corcoran depended en-
tirely on how much political sup
port they could squeeze out of it.
1t is not so much the guilt or in
nocence of Corcoran that con-
Germs republican leaders and edi-
tors in Idaho as it is the loss of
an opportunity. They were hop
ing that by opposing the pardon
they could hang up the case until
next campaign when they could
flaunt it in the faces of the work
ing people as an evidence of
democratic ingratitude and con-
tract to grant it themselves if
returned to power in the gov
eminent of the state. But now
the issue is dead and their op-
portunity to use it as bride for
the votes of the working peoDle