The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-01-09
Gooding's Message.

MCSSd0cs
Governor Gooding urges radical Iegis-
lation for the control of the railroads on
Grating i'm Idaho. He recommends tho
creation of a state railroad commission az
three members to be appointed bv tho
governor, clothed with full power TO es
tablish maximum rates. enforce entire
publicity i'm relation 20 railroad transpor
tation within the state and correct rail
way abuses of which the people have
complained. He states that a deDlOrah Ie
condition has confronted the peonje OF
idanO owing to lack of proper railroad
equipment to handle the traffic of the
state. This condition has become so
alarming, he SAYS. that IL threatens 10
seriously cripple the growth of Idaho
Under present conditions he saws ssfbe
state is at the entire mercy of the rail
road companies whose sole aim is to paw
enormous dividends" He expresses tho
opinion that railroad rates i'm Idaho arc
most eXorbitant in many cases He urges
that a reciprocal demurrage provision be
included in the act creatinc Tho con,roiS0
sion.
Governor Gooding urges stringent anti
pass legislation. not only prohibiting ali
state and county officials from receiving
Tree transportation from the railroads.
but prohibiting all citizens of the state
unless actual employees of the corpora
tons granting the favors. from accepting
any passes or franks from railroad, tele-
graph or telephone companies. This Iegis-
lation, he urges should follow the lines
of the federal law
Case of the Miners.
Governor Gooding reviews at length the
legal proceedings following the arrest of
Harry Orchard, Steve Adams, Charles II.
Meyer. William D. Haywood and George
Pettibone, charged with the assassina-
ton of former Governor Frank Steunen-
berg. He urges that Canyon county be
rnlt of ,a
the expense of the prosecution inasmuch
as the case is one in which all the peo-
pie of Idaho are equally interested. He
deplores the fact that many labor argan-
izatiOnS have criticised the action OF the
state officers I'm taking up the prosecu-
ton. and SAYS.
This is a murder case and as such IL
should be tried, regardless of the position
the accused men have occupied. or may
now occupy, i'm labor organizations. They
are entitled to a fair trial. The charac-
ter Of our courts and our citizenship in
sure it to them
Governor Gooding asserts that there is
no desire on the part Of the state to put
labor organizations or the principles UNI
DERIVING them on trial. or TO make war on
the labor union idea. The state is en-
deavoring to punish a crime OF partcu-
larly horrible character, he says, and he
adds:
THE confession of Harry Orchard.
which is corroborated in large part by
tale so full of horror as to be almost
unbelievable"
Roosevelt Interested.
The governor states that the course OF
the prosecuting officers has been ap-
proved by the state courts. the federal dis
trict court and the supreme court of the
United States. and SAYS:
\ THE proceedings had. together with all
matters of interest i'm the case. were the
subject Of strict inquiry by the president
OF the United States. Hon. Theodore
Roosevelt, who. acting through his per
sonal representative. the first assistant
attorney general of the United States
visited Idaho and made careful and
painstaking investigation of the whole
matter. He reported to the president
and Mr.. Roosevelt has since that time by
word and action expressed himself as
heartily in accord with the state in pros
ecuting this case"
Governor Gooding urges the Republican
majority of the legislature to live up TO
the party's campaign promises and enact
a direct primary law for the nomination
of all state and county officers by direct
vote. an antitrust law. an employers