The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1908-10-23
Our State Ticket
SKETCH OF JAMES H BRADY.


A history of the life of James H.
Brady, Republican candidate for gov
ernor OF Idaho, is replete with de-
tails OF accomplishment which en-
phasize his exceptional fitness for the
Office Of chief executive of the state.
Harmony Jim" Brady he has been
called and the term in its most COM
mendable sense Is applicable.
Born In Indiana county, Pennsyl-
vania. June IL, 1862, an ancestry
Of Scotch-Irish on his fathers side.
and German on his mothers, we're
united In him. Both branches Of the
family possessed records OF service
and loyalty to the United States
which extended back for $50 years.
Captain Samuel Brady, 9 great-grand-
father, first IN the ranks and later as
an officer, fought In the War Of the
Revolution, and as scout In the In
dian wars which followed. attained
distinction. ID recognition Of which
a monument was erected to his mem
DRY In Kent, Ohio.
During Mr.. Brady's early boyhood,
his father moved To Kansas, and Set
tied on d farm fifteen miles from
Kansas City. There he received his
education. After graduating from
high school he entered Leayenworth
Normal college with the intention Of
adopting the profession; OF teacher,
and for three years afterward pur-
sued It, but his natural abilities and
inclination fornented the call Of BUSH
ness activity which he made no ef-
fort to resist. and he abandoned his
course and embarked upon q career
'of even greater usefulness.
III Chicago, his first venture was
real estate. It was successful to the
extent that branch Offices were estab-
lished In other cities. While in this
business his attention was attracted
by the wonderful possibilities Of Ida
no, and the inception and develop
ment Of the Idaho canal, the Marys-
willie canal and the Fort Hall Indian
reservation canal were the result.
Under his direction they became the
greatest factor in the retaining OF
the Snake River territory, and
through these projects he breathed
| fertility and life into thousands of
acres which before had been arid and
dead. The Idaho canal in Bingham
and Fremont counties now waters
ITO, 900 acres, $4,000 Of which are
| under cultivation; the Marysyille In
Fremont county supplies 10000
acres, and the reservation in Bing-
ham and Bannock counties furnishes
| the lands In the Fort Hall Indian
reservation. The Great Feeder canal
in Fremont and Bingham counties,
a later enterprise, is the largest ir-
rigation ditch In the state and waters
100 900 acres, OF which 10000 are
under cultivation. These canals
were built purely as private under
takings and supply water to lands
under them at fixed rentals per year.
They were constructed under the Ca
4 rey act and have been unsullied by
contention
] Mr.. Brady made Idaho his home
| in 1896, and became interested at
4 that time in the electrical develop
ment of the water power of the south
| eastern part of the state. He is now
president of the Idaho Consolidated
Power Company, which owns and
controls mammoth plant at Ameri-
can Falls, furnishing light and power
to American Falls, Ross Fork, Poca-
tello and Blackfoot, and has theo-
retical capacity of 10000 horsepower
and an actual estimated capacity of
| $4,000, although but comparatively
| little of this gigantic resource has
been developed on account of the abb
sence of a market. Street lighting
| in American Falls Is furnished free
Of cost, and the boast in Pocatello
| is that greater proportion of the
residents use electricity for all pur-
poses than in any other city in the
world
Despite these great undertakings,
Mr. Brady cannot be considered a
corporation man in the sense poll
tically used. Although he has been
until recently the guiding spirit of
institutions which have been vital to
the progress of the state, neither he
nor they have anything to ask or
receive of the state government.
The political activity of Mr.. Brady
dates back to his residence in Chi
cago, where he was recognized as an
organizer and leader. The fore
sight, consideration, ability and ca
pacity which characterize his bust
ness experience are eyinced in his
interest in statecraft In 1904 he
was made chairman of the Republic
can state central committee. Two
years later he aspired to an Office for
the first time, being a candidate for
United States senator against the
present incumbent, Hon. w. E. Bor-
all The contest was close. and at a
critical period, in order to reserve the
organization of the party, he with
drew from the race, but upon the re-
quest of the central committee re-
assumed his leadership OF the party
and generated its notable victory in
1906.
Mr.. Brady Is man of many
friends who respect and admire him.
and made many small philanthropies
which are source of much satisfac-
ton to him. Above ell, he is citi-
zen of the highest type of useful
ness. He is a widower, his wife hav-
ing died two years ago, and he lives