The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-04-18
AN IDAHO RsPUsLIcAN GAME.

An IDAHO REPUBLICAN GAME.
There is no means of knowing what
the evidence is against Senator Borah
of Idaho on which he was supposedly
indicted by a federal grand jury. but
it is plain enough that every influence
the Roosevelt administration can mus
ter is being brought to bear to prevent
further prosecution of the case against
him. United States District Attorney
Ruick has been summoned TO Washing
ton by the president for a conference
with the department of justice, and
limitations from there indicate that n
is likely to be disciplined for his per-
nicious activity in this case against
an administration senator.
Ostensibly, the summons is only Cor
purposes of investigation. but it is not
difficult to fCresee the result. Ruick,
the district attorney, will be lucky f.
he is not dismissed from the service
as soon as he reaches the capital; and
1t is more than an even bet that the
indictment will be dismissed if it is
ever made a matter of official record.
OF course if Borah were a Democrat
or against the administration, justice
and fair play would compel the publ
cation of all the evidence and a pros
ecution to the bitter end. Everybody
knows that the president is determined
TO punish every one connected with the
illegal acquisition of timber and coal
lands; he has said so himself and that
settles it, but in this case doubtless a
way can be found, and viii be found
to show that a Republican senator in
high favor with the president cannot
possibly be a proper subject for such
proceedings as have been initiated by
Ruick.
one Of the curious pleas made for
cessation of prosecution is that the
indictment. alleged to have been found,
is instigated by Meyer and Haywood
and their friends because Borah has
been active in their prosecution Just
what connection there could possibly
be between timber frauds and a Grim
inaI case against the labor leaders does
not appear on the face of the reports
The average observer would assume
that Meyer and Haywood had troubles
enough without mixing up in land
fraud cases. Ordinarily an indictment
presupposes evidence of fraud or crime;
if there is no evidence against Borah,
the fact ought to be provable. If there
is-and the government ought TO know
if there is-the mere presence of Meyer
and Haywood in Idaho is hardly war
rant enough for u dismissal of the
charge.
The trouble with the Idaho Republi-
cans is, and has been, that the celebrat-
ed prisoners in their state have been
used as a pretext for almost every
devious deed in politics that was need
ed TO keep them in power. They APP
pealed at the elections to the prejuiices
of voters against the prisoners for pol
itical purposes; they have shielded IN
worthy men in office on the plea that
in some mysterious way it was neces-
sary to the ends of justice; in every
conceivable way they have utilized q
purely criminal case TO advance the
political fortunes of their party, al
though that case has never been POI
itical issue and should not be injected
into politics.
Senator BOTah is presumed TO bs
gUiltless of any wrong-doing until court
proceedings declare his guilt or inno-
cence. His record as a citizen and pub
lie man justifies the assumption that he
may justify himself in the face of an
indictment if one is returned publicly;
but it is a cowardly thing 10 utilize the
Meyer Haywood case as means CT
obscuring whatever investigation may
have been had into the land deals Of
Idaho, and to advance political reasons
for either a cessation or continuation Of
such an investigation.