The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1908-11-12
THE pRoBLEMATIC TENTH.
State Legislature At Present An I'm
known Quantity.
(By Rex OsbOrne.)

(By Rex Osborne.)
The next session of the Idaho leg
islature is pledged by the Republican
state convention to do the following
things:
To elect Weldon Brinton Hepburn
United States senator to succeed him
self.
To enact an effective county local
option law
To enact an antitrust law.
To enact an employers liability law.
To enact an anti-pass law.
To enact a good roads law.
In addition the large majority OF it's
membership stands pledged to enact a
direct primary law.
After these pledges the people of
Idaho have placed big, black inter-
rOgatiOn mark.
1t does not denote total lack of con-
fidence, but it does denote well
grounded suspicion.
This feeling harks back to the oper-
atoms of the Ninth session, when
practically every pledge made by the
party was deliberately broken.
So absolutely shameless was this
violation of popular trust that if there
had not been a United States senator
to elect this year the people of Idaho
would have given the legislature over
to the Democrats on the chance that
they might heed the voice of the peo-
pie the first time, anyway. The ma
jority of the people of the state are
Republicans and they wanted Repub-
lican sent back to the senate. But for
that sentiment the legislature roll call
would have borne far different COM
plexion.
However, the legislature is elected.
In the foregoing is rected some OF
the things it is pledged to do. Now,
then, what will it do? | shall not haz-
ard forecast in view OF the black
record of the past. But | can safely
review the prospects on the basis OF
the ideas of a great many well-inform-
ed people.
In the first place, as to the senator
ship. The outlook is that there will
be a fight on the senior senator but
that he will be reelected unless some
very strong and active candidate pre-
sents himself. But the legislature is
pledged to him by the state conven-
ton, | hear you say. The answer is
that a state convention cannot pledge
legislature to do anything, accord
ing to the dictum of King Hepburn
himself. But how about the county
pledges? That is different matter
Each legislator will place his own
construction on them. He knows how
his constituency feels; and he Will
weigh lightly any county platform de-
clarations if he believes they were en-
tered for political purposes only and
If they conflict with popular sentl-
ment at home. The consensus OF OPP
&c, hof
elected again Undeniably, however,
the demand of the people has been far
more pronounced in favor of "a" Re
publican than in favor of "the" Re-
publican. Unless he shall be elected
at once, Senator Hepburn will find
the road a rocky one, and the longer
the fight shall continue the more will
his chances be minimized.
Next on the list is local option I'M
der the county unit plan. There are
more members of the legislature
pledged to it than to any other leg1s-
lation or any individual. Republicans
and Democrats alike are pledged to II
by their county conventions and the
Republicans by their state convention
But when pledge-breaking enters the
window all bets are off and polltlca
honor scoots through the door.
have it from the lips of members
elect that Notwithstanding they were
elected on local option platforms, the!
will not vote for local option Dill
This feeling is SO strong the lrleno'
of local option are greatly dlscor
aged They won everything in con
vention. They won everything in thu
election. Still they are confronted
with widespread reputation as tn
crucial hour approaches.
Men who would not for any con
sideration violate a business or pro
fessional trust, with impunity declar
they will not be bound to trust i'm
rosed on them through politics
Strong words, but true.
Take the situation in Nez Perc
county. for example. In Lewiston tn
anti-Iocal optionists declared that un
less certain political influences shoul
be arrayed against the proh1pltlonls
two DAYS after election the Repupllcal
Legislative ticket would be defeated o.
election day. ~.
The Republican legislative tickle
was not defeated in Lewiston put III
Drohibitionists were two days later.
To whom do those legislators oW
their election?
Will the local prohibition sentlmen
or the sentiment against 1T exercis
the more potent influence on their &c
tions in the legislature!
Put cold bloodedly, there is about {.
little chance for local option OIL
being passed at the coming session
the legislature as that log-rolllng WI
he eliminated or that the next Reput
lican state ticket will not be selecte
during the session
The antitrust promise, the employ
ers' liability promise, the anti-pas
uromise-all violated in the Ninth ses
sion. What assurance they Will
carried out in the Tenth? the We
too pessimistic? Should have nor
confidence in men? Look at the reS
ord. Much the same men Will run I'll
next legislature. We can only nope