American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1909-02-13
POWER COUNTY
BILL KILLED
Combination Of Interests Bring
Unexpected Results.
Bill to Locate Agricultural College at
Twin Falls Resulted in Forma-
ton of Unbreakable
Combination.

The bill to create power county was
killed in the House Monday morning by
vote of 80 to l6. The real test how
ever was on the vote to postpone sc-
ton until Wednesday afternoon. This
vote resulted % to &c, with three absent,
two of whom were friends to the bill,
making it necessary to change but one
vote to win. That vote however, could
not be had. The introduction, early
last week, of bill to remove the agri-
cultural college to southern Idaho,
proved to be the undoing of the BILL
The northern people became alarmed,
and united with the Ada county delega-
ton who were fearful that the school
for the blind would be taken away from
them. Into the combination was taken
Blaine county's two representatives and
eight democrats who were glad for an
opportunity to tie the hands of the
House. Several of the people wece
friendly to Power county, and had prom
ised to vote for the bill. So had some
of the Democratic members, and the
Ada county representatives were favor
able to the measure. One of the MEM
bers who voted to kill the bill said, not
five minutes before he did so, that it
had merit and if considered on that
basis alone there should not two adverse
votes in the House. But for this COM
bination of circumstances the bill would
have carried by two-thirds vote.
| Strong efforts were made to break
the combination, not for the sake of
Power county alone, but because other
matters were being held up. The
agreement which cemented this organ
ization together, was:
l. Liberal appropriations for the
state institutions.
2. Leaving the state normal at
Albion.
8. Liberal appropriations for the
state capitol building.
A. To keep the state school for the
blind at Boise.
5. Against all county divisions.
The ''scsre" worked we'll, and a num-
Der of people were stampeded into
combination who were very anxious to
get out, but could see no honorable way
to do so. The agreement was signed by
thirty-two of the ffty-two members.
Five of these withdrew as result of
nersistant bombardment leaving
twenty-seven to twenty-six. Three
times Sunday and Monday morning
their lines were broken, and it was
anybody's victory until the last minute.
After the test vote on postponement
! five members ran for cover, fearing
their own bills might be in jeopardy,
which accounts for the large adverse
vote to indefinitely postpone.
Many of those who voted against the
county expressed regret at the combi-
nation of circumstances that compelled
them to do SO, and had the bill come up
a week earlier would have gone through.
The Disappointment is great, but has by
no means broken the spirit which is
forcing our part of the state to the
front. We have as many advantages
as we ever had, and will be just as vig-
orous as ever in making them known to
the world.
The writer, several years ago, was in
troduced to an aged Confederate colonel
who was noted for his eccentricities.
In the course of a conversation he re-
marked in referring to the war, that
the South was not whipped, simply
overpowered. That is the case with
the friends of Power county. They are
disappointed, but not discouraged.
There are not ten members of the
House who do not concede the merits
of the bill, and who will not admit
when cornered, that had there been no
estranging influences, they would have
voted for it. Some of them were stam-
peded into hostile camp, and some
for political or selfish reasons joined
them and together they were a control
ing force.
The state institutions are in no dam
ger, and never were. The university
is not the pride nor the property of the
north alone, but of the entire state,
and nolegislator from any section would
dare face his constituents should he
offer violence to it. The normal schools
and other state institutions demand and
receive the same fealty from the coun-
ties which have them not, as from those
which have them. The capitol building
| TContinnad IN eiUhth naUel