American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1909-03-13
SHOUP COUNTY
SHORT One VOTE
Democrats Caused Defeat Of
the Bill.
In the Last Hours Three Democrats
Desert the County Under Pressure
--Senator Jordan Loses a
Coveted Position.

The Shoup county bill failed to pass
the Senate, Saturday last, because
three men, who had declared almost
from the first for the bill, voted against
it. Two of them made weak expana-
tions, and the third remained discreetly
silent. Had either of the three voted
for it the county would have been ere
ated. All three of the men who with
drew their support were Democrats,
and changed after the members of that
party held caucus Saturday morning
at l O'Clock. Senators Pugmire of
Bear Lake, Davis of Elmore and Free
hafer of Washington were the desert
ers. In the case of Senator Pugmire it
appears ungrateful. In the apportion-
ment bill, which passed the House the
day before, one representative was ta-
ken from Bear Lake, and one added to
Oneida While Oneida was entitled to
the increase, it seemed unjust to de-
prive Bear Lake of her present repre-
sentation. AS there were no more to
bestow, the limit having been reached,
Oneida consented to lose one that Bear
Lake need not be cut down. And the
next day Pugmire reversed himself and
voted to kill the bill in which Oneida's
representatives were most interested.
Senator Davis said he had intended
voting for the bill but had changed his
mind because he had been told the gov
ernor was Withholding his appointments
to force its passage. He would not
charge that the governor was doing so,
but inasmuch as the charge had been
made he would withhold his support.
Senator Freehafer changed bis vote.
he said, because his friend L. D. Jones
haa told him there was small uprising
in Arbon sgainst the bill Twice it
has fallen to the lot Of Senator Free
hafer to prevent the creation of a
county here. Both times he promised
to support the county, and both times
he voted against it. We have not
given up hope. and if Mr.. Freehafer is
again returned to the legislature we
trust he will quit his ''jollying.
All three are good men. During the
session they were among the most in
dependent in voting. What changed
them during the last hours? 1t was
some tremendous pressure, only ink
lings of which have been secured. If
they voted as their consciences dictated
appearances were deceitful. They ap-
peared flushed and uncomfortable, and
so marked was this as to attract gen.
-eral attention.
One satisfaction people here have is
that Senator Jordan has retired to pri-
vate life. He was appointed water
commissioner shortly before Governor
Gooding retired. The session just
closed placed the commissioners on the
states payroll, increased the salary to
$4,000 year, and made new nomina-
ton necessary. Jordan worked like a
trooper for the passage of the bill, fully
expecting to be reappointed. During
the closing hours of the session he per-
mitted the governor to be maligned
shamefully, the Shoup county bill being
used as club in doing so. So bitter was
the attack that Senator Goodnight,
who had been consistently against the
county from the first, served notice
that unless such procedure ceased he
would move a reconsideration of the
vote by which Shoup county was killed.
The defamation ceased instantly and
from then on the proceedings were as
orderly as Sunday school. When the
nominations were made Jordan's name
was not on the list. The roar he made
is said to have been one of the most in
teresting events of the session. Wheth-
er his course in the matter had anything
to do with his failure to receive the
appointment, or whether he was de-
barred by statute from benetitting
from an increase of salary which he
helped to make is not known, but
1t would be a personal satisfaction to
many to know that the former is true.
The Blaine county members made a
hard and honorable fight. The only
particular in which they departed from
absolute fairness was in taking advant-
age of their ignorance regarding devel-
opment in the Blaine county territory
adjoining American Falls, and there
fore denying its existence. They are
all able men and have the good will and
respect of the American Falls people
who were opposing them.
AS whole, the Power and Shoup
county bills, which we're the same ex-