Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-04-22

Charles O'Callaghan of Boomers
Ferry was visitor in the city yester-
day. Mr.. O'Callaghan is one of the
early settlers in northern Idaho and
one Of the pioneers and leaders in the
democratic party in Bonner county.
He was approached by representa-
tive of the Press with relation to
political conditions in his county, and
said:
From a democratic point of view
Bonner county is at present in an
ideal state, and it is my opinion will
continue to be so until the votes are
counted and the results show demo-
cratic victory for the county ticket,
and a good large majority for the
state ticket. Bonner county is not a
heavy republican county, to begin
with, and even If it were, / believe
that in view of the conditions that
will confront the voter at the coming
election, it would still go democratic.
The republican administration in
state affairs, and clear down to the
affairs in the counties of the state,
has been lavish, extravagant and OPP
pTessive. The party as whole has
failed to redeem or carry out the
pledges in its platform to the people.
The republican party in the state is
controlled and manipulated by ma
chine, and a machine never has and
never will work to the benefit or in
terest of the people. The machine
controlled the republican party at
the last election throughout the state,
and that same machine, with few
changes in the cogs of the wheels,
has control of the party now, and
control to the extent that the cleaner
and better element of the party will
not be able to overthrow it this year.
Il observe" said Mr.. Callaghan,
with a smile, that even Kootenai
county has not succeeded in unshack-
ling herself from boss and machine
rule. That l think was very clearly
demonstrated at the meeting of the
county republican central committee
in your city a few days ago. The
word had gone abroad-at least so
1t came to me-that Hoffman had lost
his power as political dictator in
KOotenai county, but the session of
the committee clearly demonstrated
IN
Charles Hoffman clearly showed at
that meeting that he held the reins
of the republican party in Kootenai
in his grip, and his political dictation
at the meeting held sovereign sway.
l understand that he exhausted the
England language in eulogizing the
town of Rathdrum because of its 10y
atty to the republican machine in
years gone by; and understand that
he administered a severe rebuke to
the town of Harrison because of its
disloyalty to that same machine, and
while the remainder of the committee
sat enthralled by the force of his elo-
quence he melted out punishment to
Harrison for its independence of
thought and independence of action
At the ballot box, by sending the
county convention to Spirit Lake.
That is Heitman's way of playing
politics and he frankly admits it, 1t
is, as l understand he said at the
convention, "a grand game and that
his way of playing it was by reward
ing friends and Furnishing enemies
and unless that is done there will be
no friends to reward l understand
that was In substance his statement
before the committee, and he GER
tainly lives up to the doctrine he ad-
vOcates. But / have drifted from
what started to talk about. What
l started out to say and want to say
Is that in view of this machine rule
and the extravaganza and lavish ex.
penditures that always follow in It's
wake, the prospects for democratic
success at the polls are brighter, in
my Judgment, than ever before, mo-
only in Bonner. but in the state. Th'
people are beginning to see cOndi
tons as they are-beginning to un
derstand the underlying causes-anC
they want a change. and 1t is my hes
Judgment that the change will com,
about this fall.
Absolute harmony prevails among
the democratic forces in Bonnie
county. All Of them. so far as
know. and l have canvassed the sit
uatInn very fnIlr are In favor Of "a