Kootenai County Republican. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1899-1903, 1902-03-14

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cy-tinged members from the commit
tee was approved, as, in fact, were all
his acts: and, moreover, he was granted
plenary power to proceed with the or
ganization Of the party, He was given
authority to remove, not only state
committeeman who might have been
guilty OF flirting with the democrats,
but to remove county chairmen and
..Ounty committeeman and appoint
straight-up populists TO take their
places. In addition the meeting
adopted an address setting up that fu-
sion had been responsible for the dis
Indignation of the party and declaring
against amalgamation with any other
body. Chairman Andrews was in
Structed to call the state convention
to meet at the same time and place as
the democratic state convention, pro-
yiding the populists of the state,
through their county committees,
voted for fusion.
The cOncensus OF opinion here is
that the populist party will not fuse
on the state ticket Chairman An.
drews is strong mddle-of- the-roader
He has absolute power in the reorgan-
izatiOn OF the county committees. and
IL Is not at all likely he will organize
against his own ideas on the subject
Of fusion. There may be fusion in
some of the counties, but that will
probably be the extent Of 1t. The
popnlist fusion leaders have gone into
the democratic party and the leaders
of the other side are prancing along
joyously in the very center of the
public highway, kicking up a cloud of
dust totally out OF proportion to their
numbers, cursing fusion and damning
trusts, which, by the way, is the para
mount populist issue in Idaho. 1t is
Il fact that the recent address sent out
by Chairman Andrews and his COM
mittee contained not one word of free
silver. 1t was, however, heavily
charged with the trust issue. Any
way, any old issue is better than none.
BOISE, Idaho. March lO.-Ex-Gov
crnor Steunenberg Is very much in
politics at this time. 1t was thought
after the manner In which his party
sat down on him at the PncatcllO con-
yention he would be found for Il long
time In the seat reserved for the
smokers In the rear Of the car, but it
was not to be 81. After a brief period
If inactivity the ex-governor butted
in, and 1t Is known that right now he
is the busiest politician In the state.
lie pines for the glory that was once
his very own. and he Is going after it.
II was he who perfected the Blaine
county popo-demo fusion short time
ago. Some Of his friends denied It,.
but positive proof has been obtained
hat he alone engineered the deal. or
course he did not shuttle the cards for
anyone but Steunenberg. In support
Of the denial referred to some OF the
ex-chief executives friends pointed
out that he Is opposed to fusion on
general principles. That sort OF po-
litical breeze might be all right to
pun into the ears Of the marines, but
il won't go with those who are ac-
luainted with the situation. En-
Governor Steunenberg has always
been a fusionist, with the one excep.
tion OF the Pocatell0 convention. when
he saw that fusion meant political
death To him. Then, and then only
did he set his ponderous form In the
pathway OF the famous triangular
union that resulted in the election OF
Fred Dubois, the disruption of thu
silver republican party and the dsin
tegration Of the populist organizatio
lie was brushed aside like straw
This lack Of consideration for his dig
nifty and position piqued him and fol
long time he talked anti-fusion