The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1907-01-24
The AestinS Of the Legislature.

Some highly diverting features &C.
companied the assembling Of the
Idaho legislature last Monday. Gov.
ernor Gooding sent 10 a message,
which, coming from such source, Is
exceedingly interesting. That a
man who owes his election solely to
Mormon votes should favor the re-
enactment OF the test oath, aimed to
disfranchise the Saints, and who,
having been a corporation lobbyist at
divers and sundry sessions OF the leg
islature, should now urge the crea.
tion Of railroad commission, are
TWO picturesque features OF Idaho
politics.
So far as the test oath Is concerned
Governor Gooding wants 1t 50 broad
ened as to disfrancihse every man of
unclean life. In this he differs from
his distinguished predecessor in Of.
fee, the Honorable William John
Mcconnell, known variously as "Hell
Roaring Bill" and "Poker BID. I"
Testifying at Washington as a wit
ness for Reed Smoot. Governor Nc
Cornell, speaking from the vast
depths OF his knowledge OF Idaho pol.
itics, said:
II am not sure that 1t would be
wise to oisfranchise all adulterers. +"
Governor Cooling, reelected by
Mormon votes, would do well to take
counsel from this utterance OF bis
predecessor. Gratitude alone de.
mandds that he do SO.
As a matter of fact Cooling Is
bluffing, which Is the only element
Of politics that he knows anything
about. Prior to delivering his high.
ly moral message to the legislature
he assisted in the ''frame-up'' by
which J. Frank Hunt, a bishops
counsellor. was made speaker of the
lower house. Frank Gooding and
everybody else knows that no MOI.
mon speaker, controlling the com.
mittees Of the lower house, will per
NIT the passage OF any bill providing
for the re-enactment OF the test
oath. His message Oh that subject
is mere gallery play designed to de.
ceive further the few Gentiles who
were hoodwinked into voting for him
last fall.
Governor Cooling probably would
not deny that for several legislative
sessions preceding his election to the
governorship, he appeared at Boise
regularly as the special representative
Of corporations. He cannot deny
that during the last legislative ses.
sion he lent his influence as Governor
to defeat railroad commission bill
similar to the one which he now APP.
vocates as the salvation Of the state.
Why, then, Is he advocating a CON-
mission nowP The answer is simple.
Gooding was defeated In the Gen.
tile portion OF Idaho last November.
He was saved from total and absolute
defeat by the Mormon counties.
The great gains made by the oppop-
ents OF ecclesiasticism In the recent
election have convinced Gooding that
there will be big Gentle victory in
Idaho two years hence. and, by pos.
ing as the champion Of the down
trodden and oppressed. be hopes TO
win for himself much Gentle sup
port that he now lacks.
The chances are that no commits
sion bill will be enacted by the pres.
ent Idaho legislature. Gooding
would prefer that 1t would not be i;
failure to enact 1t would permit him
to go before the people two years
hence on the plea that his election
would be the only salvation Of the
state from the menace OF railroad
greed. And, unless he Is unable to
work some such desperate expediept
as this, be Is doomed to political
death. The most cursory study Of
the last Idaho election returns will
convince anybody OF that.
The republican legislators OF Ida
no in caucus Assem- bled have formal.
ly nominated William Z. Borah as
their candidate for United States
senator. and he will be elected next
week. Thousands OF friends which
Mr.. Rorah has made In the inter.