The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-05-25
Status of the Idaho Democracy

BOISE. Idaho. May 24.-The Democracy
nj Idaho Is minority party. since state
been minority party. BY the grace OF
n fusion In 1896 with tho Popu!ists; in
1898 with the silver Republicans and In
1900 with both organizations; Idaho had
three terms Of anti Republican rule dur
ing which period two Democratic COVER
nors were chosen. two popullst and one
silver Republican, congressman and Il
Pupulst and silver Republican senator
tho minor state offices going chiefly TO
the Poprllsts ana silver Republicans.
In 1900 tho silver Republican party
refusing 10 become Democrats. returned
To their old party. Some Joined the
Democratic party outright and took con
siderable hond In shaping the future pol
ICY OF the Democratic party OF Idaho
even 10 the present time. The POpulist
party held together. as an organization
until 1902 when II disbandcd and OF rnC
membership at that time. ii is presuma-
blc that they divided evenly between the
Republican and Democratic parties OF the
state.
OF the former Silver Republicans who
became Democrats In 1900. AZ the time Of
tn" disbanGing of their party. there were
two classes. one which was imbucd with
genuine spirit Of belief in Dcmocra tic
principles and who had lost faith In and
hope for the Republican party roprpsent-
ing the common people: the other which
became Democrats, chiefly through ASSOC
citation unGcr protest
This new element in the Democratic
party was distruStcd by certain ones of
tlon impossible BY the colder Democ- =
racy'' We do not refer TO hundreds and
thousands OF consistent Democrats 10y
birth instinct and cultivation who did
join heartily and cogcntIy with the newer
element. hut there was body of rccalci-
trants which. during the six years OF
reign Of the newer Democracy, aSsidu-
ousIy voted with the Republicans. This
during the lDulvIoS pr 16Op -lgnl
and 1906.
The principal nominees of the Democ-
racy OF Idaho. during these three election
periods were Democrats Of the old
school; as were the respective state
chairmcn,
To be more, emphatic on this subject.
Frank w. Hunt. and his chairman, Simon
7. Donnely. both Democrats OF the old
school In 1904 the nominee for governor
was Henry Heitfeld and his chairman,
Charles II. Jackson; the former was al
ways n Democrat untIl 1891 when he be-
came Il Populist and In 1902. when his
party djsbandcd. he returned to the party
OF his first devotion. Mr.. Jackson was
always a Democrat of the most rigid or
der. In 1906 tho nominee for governor
was Charles ., StocEslaeer and his chair
man. Henry w. Lockhart; both Demo-
Gratis from early childhood.
In the first of these three elections. the
recalcltrant element Of the Democratic
were forceful and cast enough votes
dEuAJSl TIC democracy 10 d'lSdi tue llNh =
ct. or at least, the governor. for re-clcc-
ton. In the succeeding two campaigns
their influence would, and was probably
offset by dissatisfied Republicans who
voted with the Democracy through dis
agreement with their own party, and ow-
ing to certain apprecIable features Of
Democratic state platforms
During the period there was an unpre-
ccdentcd migration to Idaho, and, as
stated in our previous article, the voters
came from states normally Republican
materially increasing the vote OF the
dominant party.
In 1904 the Democracy took a decided
stand against the Mormons. owing to two
principal conditions: first. the hold which
the Utah hierarchy was getting on the
Republican party Of the state; and second,
the revelations given TO the public
through the printed record in the Smoot
case, as appealed TO polygamous living In
Idaho,
AS to the first of these. the Republican
party had elected polyGamist 10 high
office in Idaho, and their state convention
and state committee was literally inocu-
lated with polygamists high In church
councils Added to this. was the indis-