The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1910-02-25
CHANCE FOR A DEMOCRAT

no, and they are democrats 100, UuI
they manifest no particular gusto
for state offices, or at any rate for
Democratic nominations for state of
fees. Men are mentioned from time
to time, but they or their friends, i'm
mediately pounce upon tho sugges
ton and kill it aborning. There is the
Democratic nomination for governor.
There are many men who could at
ford the luxury of the nomination,
but they shy at the idea. Southern
Idaho has several men of promise
like Judge Bryan of Canyon county;
Hon. D. L. Evans of Oneida county;
Hon. James H. Hawley of Ada coun-
ty, and Judge C. o. Stockslager, Of
Twin Falls county. None OF these
men care about adopting the idea
OF making the campaign. 1t seems
hopeless to them and that is where
they are making a grave mistake.
The Democratic party this year has
a good chance of carrying Idaho.
Do not get the idea that the Demo
cratic party has done anything to
merit the confidence or achieve the
enthusiasm OF the people. For it
has done nothing but kept still and
many times in politics, that is all
that is necessary. A still man is al
ways a dangerous man, because you
cannot measure him. For four years
or more the Democrats have been
stiller than tho Christmas mouse.
While the Democrats were success
FULLY accomplishing a perfect state
of stiffness, the Republicans were as
busy as bees and about as noisy.
They have adopted and enacted into
law every half-baked reform that
came along. The nadir of political
folly was reached when the Republi-
can party took up with tho direct
primary, and in our judgment the
direct primary will be the cause Of
the downfall of the Republican party
in Idaho within the next two or four
years. The history of the system is
one of party dstintegration, it will
be the same in Idaho. The primary
campaign will leave a chasm in the
Republican party that will Utterly
swallow it. 1t will be something
like the Killarney cats. The two
factions will eat each other up.
Here in Idaho six months before
the primary are three elements
ready to tear the other two to
pieces. Tho Brady element has
no use for O'Neil or Clagstone;
Brady is an eye sore to the O'Neil
faction and Clagstone is a joke. Both
Brady and O'Neil are objects of con-
tempt to the Clagstone factions.
That is the condition now and none
Of the candidates has done a thing
toward securing the nomination.
What will it be after two or three
months of hot campaigning? The
party will be in smithereens, OF at
some other sea port town. That is
the outlook for the Republicans.
With the democrats it will be differ
ent. Being in the minority they can
easily center upon some strong man.
lie with united party behind him,
can easily secure many of the many
disgruntled and disappointed Repub-
licans. No matter which Republi-
can candidate wins out, at least
third Of the Republicans will be dis
appointed and ready to go on the
war path. 1t wont take much of a
man to capture great many Re-
publican votes. With one third or
even one tenth of the Republicans off
the reservation, a Democrat will stand
good chance of election. Now is
the chance of a lifetime. Suppose
the Democrats should place in nomin-
alton a man like D. L. Evans. lie
would carry the entire Democratic
vote. Local pride would give him
Oneida county, strongly Republican
county. The entire southeast would
respond to him handsomely, because
he is a good clean, able man, is well
known and highly esteemed. In
north Idaho, either the Clagstone or
O'Neil partisans would welcome him
heartily though quietly, in case Of
the success Of the other, and of both
in case of Governor Brady's renomin-
alton. Through the immense discord
strong, forceful Democrat should
be able to carve his way to sue
cess. The Democrats have all the
best of it. The primary law will
help them. OF course the RepubIi-
cans may be 50 unanimous for one of
the candidates that there will be no
bitterness, but it does not look that
way at present