Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-07-21
LOCAL OPTION
DECEPTION WON
Saloon Men Fought Phantom Issue
For MOrmOns' Friends

The democratic primaries were
held throughout Kootenai county
yesterday afternoon. Sufficient time
has not elapsed to allow authentic
information to come to the city con-
corning the result In the outlying
precincts, but In the city precincts
the vote went heavily against the
anti-Mormon ticket, and In favor OF
that placed In the field by those In
opposition to the anti-Mormon plank,
and. according to the claims made by
them they secured enough of the deli
egates from the country precincts to
control the county convention. The
anti-Mormons. however, deny COM
plete victory to the opposition IN the
city, and maintain that they have not
enough delegates In the country,
when taken together with those In
the city to give them control Of the
convention.
The polls OF the primaries opened
in the city at o'clock, and from that
time until their close az Z o'clock
the voting was steady, but light. II
had become apparent in the morning
that two tickets would be placed In
the field, one by those who style
themselves as anti-Mormon. and those
who are designated by them as the
anti-Dubois or Mormon faction, and
who style themselves as the regular
or stalwart democrats, and who are
opposed to ex-senator Dubois and his
anti-Mormon propaganda. II also
became apparent early In the morn
ing that the anti-Dubois element were
prepared to contest the anti-Mormon
ticket, and that they would spare
neither time nor labor nor money In
doing so, and they did not. They
went into the conflict to win. The
supporters OF the anti-Mormon ticket
claim that they had anticipated no
conflict, and after their ticket was
placed in the field they left II TO a
vote and decision Of the people, and
made no effort TO solicit votes In be-
half OF It, but depended upon the peo-
pie to come to the polls and vote the
ticket of their own Yolition, and they
had no carriages or workers In the
field The anti-DuboiB crowd, how
ever, had many workers In the field
and a number OF cOnVeyances. They
had made preparations to win nj the
primaries and on the morning OF
he day set for holding them they
went into the ield and commenced
work and did not cease until the
polls were closed Shortly after the
primaries were opened for voting
automobiles could be seen carrying
voters to and from the primaries and
ward politicians were IN evidence at
all times in the various precincts
advising citizens and their wives of
the tickets I'm the field giving them
heart TO heart talks concerning the
issues that confronted them. aud CON
Quoting them either to an automobile
or accompanying them TO the polls
In person. The saloons were visited
by the workers of the anti-Dubois
ticket and literally supplied with
tickets containing the names OF their
delegates. and TO these according 10
the claims made by the anti Mormon
men, Is TO be attributed the heavy
vote ia favor Of the anti-Dubois tick
ct. The anti-Mormon men say that
II was when they observed this vote
rolling in that they began to make
inquiries as to the cause OF IL. and II
was then that they ascertained that
the anti-Dubols faction. for the pur-
pose OF obtaining the vote Of the sa-
loon men and their sympathizers. had
raised the local option issue. and
found themselves branded among this
voting class as the prohibition party.
IL operated as a total surprise upon
those representing the antl-Mormon
ticket. and by the time that they be-
came aware that the anti-Dubois men
had raised this local option issue
among the saloon men as a ruse to
turn the vote against them. It was
too late to stem the tide. and the yot-
ing went on unchecked The anti
Mormon men. after It had been as
eertainsd that there would be two
tickets in the field. had expected. go
they say. that the issue would be
fought out on the Mormon question.
and had not expected that into the
fight there would be injected the To-
cal option issue. an issue upon which
they had taken no stand as IL had