The Idaho scimitar. [volume] (Boise, Idaho) 1907-1908, 1908-09-12
Senator Heyburn's Position.

moral despotism while the state listens to and coun-
tenances such demagogc utterances those that fell
from the lips of Senator Hepburn during his address
to the Idaho republican convention the I'd inst
Idaho is bound to the cruel exactions of the lead
trust the sugar trust, the lumber trust the trans
portation trust and the commercial trust of the
Mormon church and it is the prone and helpless vic
tim of a political trust that commands the ballots
of its servants under the penalty of the loss of their
immortal souls
Mr. Hepburn would perpetuate this condition, think
ing only of the masters whom he serves and possess
ing no sentiment of for the thousands whom
his masters despo in the pursuit of unearned
wealth.
He has placed himself in the class of the defenders
of the predatory dictators of legislation and govern
ment from whom the governed are now making IN
teigent and heroic efforts to escape. He says
they must their attempts to shake off intoler
able conditions must permit things to remain they
are and leave it to him and his associate usurperS
to heap despotsm upon despotsm until there is not
remnant of manhood remaining within the constitu-
ency he calls his
He says 'You may petition, but you shall not
command net law unto myself and when
YOU send me to the headquarters of the nation to
speak for this country, my language must be my own
language, my course must be laid according to my
own intentions "-"You do not know what you want
| only know and I will tolerate interference"
These are not the words of the senator, but they
are words that express what he meant when he
hurled his philippe at the people from the forum OF
the republican convention.
Defying the principle of representative govern
ment, browbeating the custodans of the ballot in
suting the architects of a commonwealth, with in
spid condescenson he extended to them the privilege
of casting their for his retention in the United
States senate Will they do it? If they do they
will deserve what they get-a Hepburn in the senate
Here are few choice extracts from the conven-
ton address delivered by Mr. Hepburn:
In discussing at this time the constitution of our
country before this convention believe that the issue
is timely partly from the fact that there has been
agitation towards favor1ng its amendment or change
in one way or another That grand document
should be read and better understood by the ma
iority of people, There is, | must confess, more or
less ignorance on the part of the great bulk Of the
people relative to the constitution, what it contains
and what it stands for
Many times there questions raised by polt-
1tca conventions, newspapers, prominent men, etc,
asking that their representatives in legislative bodies
do something towards amending the constitution,
better fitting it for modern times They say, give
us this law" "give that law" when they fail
to really understand what they demand or ask for.
Conventions sometimes do not properly instruct
They are ignorant sometimes Of what should be done
[ have always and will always stand opposed to
any attempt the part of a convention to leg1sate
convention is not empowered to do SO under any
circumstances. The counties cannot participate in
the legislature You recommend but
not 1egis1ate; you have not the power to instruct
the legislature. If representatives feel that it is
their duty to refuse to take upon their shoulders
the obligations which you have placed upon them
towards legislation and they refuse to believe that
is their duty to carry out that obligation or obga-
tons you should not, convention or individually
feel offended charge them with treason to their
party party principles.