The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-11-14
THE IDAHO CLEANSING.


lates the people of Idaho upon the splen
did victory won in behalf of themselves
and OF the State at last Tuesdays S elec-
tion. We do not extend these congrat
ulatlons in any partisan spirit, or in
any way of exultation over the Re.
publican defeat or at the Democratic
victory. n no sense do we enter into
any partisan spirit in this matter. On
the contrary, we do not consider that
virtue and honesty. on the one hand,
follow partisan lines, or fraud, graft
and treachery on the other, follow such
lines
1T is because the election of Mr..
Hawley in Idaho is triumph of right
and honesty over wrong and d;shonor
that we extend congratulations. The
Tribune has presented abundant proof
OF the bad faith and selfish graft that
nave been going on unchecked in the
management Of the State s land af
fairs under the jurisdiction of the Land
Hoard of Idaho. The incompetence and
nattention of that board have cost the
people of our neighboring State untold
sums of money. The graft and selfish
grabs which this Land Board have ner
petrated in their own behalf and b,,.o
approved on behalf of their friends
nave plunged the State into disreputc
and obloauy. 1t is a serious thing for
State IN its official capacity tn he
come tainted with fraud and trickerv,
anu yet that is precisely what has han
pened to Idaho under the management
of Governor Brady and his confreres of
the State Land Board Almost all
forms of grating known in connection
with the handling of land have been
practiced, with the consent and an.
proval of that board, and the members
of the board themselves have profited
by their own misdeeds and their viola.
tIons of law
In other matters, also. there have
been specific charges of fraud, which
charges have not been met, but rather |
have been ignored. in the hope that the
people would not take notice of them
or call the perpetrators of the frauds |
TO account. 1t seems, however, that
the voters of Idaho are wide awake. |
They are open to argument, and they |
are ready to listen to reason. When |
Ihey see any misdeed they, as indie. |
free voters. resolve to apply |
Tie corrective, and do apply it When |
they see a lot of grafters in Office ar
faigned before the public and shown
plainly to be guilty, the voters of Idaho
visit their displeasure upon them and
put new men in office in their places.
This is refreshing contrast to con
litions in Utah, where, although the
:howings are all against the church Re
publican and Federal bunch gangs, the
arge mass of the Mormon controlled
voters were crowded into the Repub.
lean column and compelled to vote tho
Republican ticket wiliy-nilly, by the
heocratic rulers. II was impossible to
each the voters with argument. They
gnored the proofs of graft, fraud, and
lbuse charged repeatedly and as re-
,eatedly proved against that gang in
he recent campaign. But it was all to
10 effect The pins" were set up by
he prophets, seers, and revelators,'
nd toe people were commanded (coun-
eled is the ambiguous term used) to
ustain the Federal bunch and the
rafting church politicians.
Wa trust. however, that the influence
t Idaho IS publication will not be lost
pom TIE people of Utah, and that the
ote,s of this State will be influenced
y the results in Idaho 10 gradually !
AXE their own public affairs into their
WI hands, and manage them in the
ubiic interests, in place of leaving
hem. at the desire Of corrupt church =
cliticians OF otherwise, in the hands
Z graflers and selfish tricksters. If ,
daho shall react upon Utah in this
enefici',l WAY, pointing out the path
o freedom and individual independ. !
nee in voting, then we shall have dou-
le cause to rejoice over the splendid
ictories for honesty and clean public r
ervice achieved by the voters of the
orshern State. 6
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