Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1906-09-07
GIVES HIS REASONS
Il. 6. Redwine Tells Why He Quit
Democratic Party.
DEMOCRATIC ISSUES ARE DEAD
And Party in the Hands Of Renegades
Has Confidence in Republican
State Administration.

Upon hearing that H. G. Red
wine Of Salmon had severed his rela-
tions with the Democratic party and
concluded to affiliate in future with
the Republicans, the Herald at Sal.
mon called upon that gentleman to
learn whether the report were true,
Mr.. Redwlne replied that this is his
decision:
"Will you consent to make pub
lie the reasons which impel your
action in this regard?" the reporter
asked. To this Mr.. Redwine
answered.:
''It was not my intention to make
any public statement at this time,
but, since the fact has become gen.
orally known, | have no objections
to my reasons being published.
81 left the Republican party in
1896 on account of the silver Issue
and since that time have voted the
Democratic ticket. While, as is
well known, l have been much out
of harmony with many things the
Democratic party has stood for dur
ing the last six years, / remained
with it because it seemed to me that
certain reforms ! believed in could
be brought about only through it.
"The foremost of these reforms
was the granting of power to the
interstate commerce commission to
fix railroad rates. President Roose-
velt has taken hold of the reins,
and, backed up by the rank and file
of his party, has fought the power
full railroad lobby to finish and
placed law upon the statutes of
the nation bringing this about. The
masses of the Republican party have
always stood for reform, just as the
masses of the Democratic party
have, and President Roosevelt has
only been carrying out the many re-
forms the voters of the party believe
in. Through his craftsmanship and
patriotism, more reforms have been
brought about during his admins
tration than during all the time
since the wa.
q have always been opposed to
the practice of public officials riding
upon passes. It has been one of the
greatest evils affecting the body
polite. The action of the Repub.
llcan congress in suppressing this
evil will do more to purify the
political atmosphere than is general
ly realized. When we stop to thinh
that heretofore all senators, con
gressmen, judges and nearly al
other officers have been travelling
over this country upon passes, draw
ing mileage as part of their fees
while the people paid the bills, w
can begin to appreciate in part wha
this means. This evil SO impressed
me when | was member of tn
legislature in 1899 that | introduce,
a bill prohibiting it absolutely, bu
the bill went down to defeat, an,
nearly all the members rode hom
on passes while drawing their milo
age from the state.
1.-The issues which caused me t
remain with the Democratic part
being dead, and the Republica
party keeping step with the pre-
gressive thought of The day, nothin
remains for me to do except t
change my party allegiance.
"Coming down to state issues,
do not see how l could vote .h
I Democratic ticket if | wanted I
since there Is none to vote. True
there is ticket which calls itse
Democratic. but If thousands of oil,
line Democrats were placed unds
oath they would be compelled
testify otherwise. A voters du,
IA made simple in this state. Al
other paramount issue lis before hi
for his approval or disapproval.