Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1906-07-06
GUBERNATORIAL QUESTION.
The Situation as Viewed by an
Influential Democratic Journal.

influential Democratic Journal.
The Lewiston Tribune, that con-
servative democratic paper of the
Queen City of Northern Idaho, thus
expresses its views upon the inad-
visibility of changing administra-
tions in the state at this time:
Dr.. France, whose home county,
Shoshone, endorsed his candidacy
for governor at the approaching RS
publican state convention, takes the
position that the conspiracy cases
shall not enter into politirs, as his
record on that question is as straight
as anyone's and gives him the right
to make the campaign without being
exposed to the suspicion that he
would fail or weaken in the prose-
cutions. This position ia correct,
and it Is important to have it under
stood correctly. The presence of
this issue in the state is not to lead
to any revolution in our political
and social institutions or to any
deprivation of civil rights in any
respect. DR.. France, and others
who may wish to do so, should offer
their candidates. just as before, if
they conceive that the time and the
circumstances are opportune. 1t is
not only their right but their duty
to use their best judgment in such
matters and not be diverted by
opinions in which they do not agree,
by considerations they do not under
stand. 1t is necessary that they
should be accorded full liberty of
thought and action in order that all
others may enjoy the benefits Of like
freedom. As far as known DR..
France approves and sustains Gov
ernor Gooding's course in the con-
spiracy prosecutions, AMI leyond
that he gives absolutely no clue to
his further position on state Affairs.
Still, he asks that Governor Good
ing be displaced and the executive
direction of the state be confided to
him. In the absence of any con-
trolling reasons, however, for max
ing the change, there seem 10 be
some excellent ones for not making
it. At the top of these is that of
not interfering with the progress of
a work now being done and that has
had great need of being done for a
long term of years. There are for
midable distractions in the way of
bringing to justice the inner circle
of the Western Federation of Miners,
one of them being political. The
state administration is feeling the
full force of these obstructlons, as
has been the case in the past. No
administration has yet been able to
bring them to justice and survive.
It could have been done, and was in
a fair way toward it, except for just
such subterefuges and divisions of
interest as are now being employed
to defeat the present administration.
Under such circumstances the only
thing to do seems not to defeat the
administration, not let it be defeat
ed, but on the contrary pronounce
The mandate that Idaho wants this
work carried on and completed and
will not brook any interruption or
any divergence that might tend to
excuse change of policy in the
critical proceedings. Instead of
pronouncing judgment that would
relieve the authorities from the re-
sponsibilities they have assumed,
the state owes it to itself to require
them to continue and to finish that
work and not let it be shifted into
other hands. That, al least, is the
way the Tribune sees it, as great
many others see it, and is why,
while conceding to every candidate
the right to present his claims to
the people, the people also owe it to
themselves to duly weigh the exist
ing circumstances and not lightly