Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1910-06-25
WHY IS IT THUS.
(By John 4. Lathrop.)

Pacific Railway company is stronger
han that of the citizens of his part
o. the state of Idaho. He also sought
information bearing upon the apparen
complacCncy of Congressman Thomas
K. Hamer in determining his official
acts in accordance with the wishes or
that railroad corporation.
The particular matter which caused
Mr. Rohlfing to come to Washington
was the Il oubles which his home town
Of lilo and similar troubles of Ferdi-
nand, Idaao county, seven miles from
10. have experienced in getting what
they rel arded as a square deal
through Congressman Hamer from tn
postoffice department, and the com
plete telling of the story would be
relation OF blasted hopes of communit
builders and the doing of the will OF
men or, more properly speaking, a
man. who did the will of the railroad
ny, SCSAih6iy aS'Ne eN' $3.50
agent for that company.
A postoffice had been in existence
a. Ilo for twelve years. Early this
year an order was issued discontinuln
it, The town of Vollmer, which ac-
ITALY abuts on Ilo, only dividing
line existing between them, has been
in existence only three years, and
when it was plated a postofflce was
established there, the lilo folks max
ing no protest.
1t is claimed that John P. Vollmer,
who established the town OF that nam
acted as an agent for the Northern
Pacific, expended the money OF that
corporation in buying the land which
is the site of Vollmer, as we'll as the
sites OF other towns on that branch
of the Northern Pacific.
Mr. Rohlfing alleges that several
towns were passed by, by the engln-
GERS of the Northern Pacific when
the branch line was surveyed, and
the towns which were promoted by
Mr. Vollmer were thus made posslbl
Petitions. remonstrances and al
sorts of efforts were made to over
come the influences which seemed to
be exerted against the towns Mr.. Vol
mer wanted doomed but the efforts
were unavailing; the congressman ap-
peared to be working in perfect con-
sonance with the wishes of the rail
road CON pany. and citizens who had
spent their money, devoted their time
and hoped their hopes for the up
building of their homes saw the stead
overriding of their interests, and
the steady advancement of the inter
ests of those who were III the rail-
roads confidence.
Appeals were made to Congressman
Hamer, so Mr.. Rohlfing alleges, only
to meet with failure in enlisting that
statesman in any movement looking
to their relief. The people OF lilo
even finally submitted to what ap
peared to be the inevitable, and at
tempted to arrange to move to the
new town of Vollmer, and become a
part of the social and industrial life
of that community
But they were blocked at every
turn, and at last commissioned Mr.
Rohlfing to come to Washington. He
labored with the congressman, lahore
with the postoffice department am
bearded the train homeWard bound
declaring that he had been unable to
! induce Mr.. Hamer to retreat from his
position as the apparent doer of tn
will of the railroad company's coetrie
The residents of Ferdinand had a
like experience, and Mr.. Rohlflng pu
forth exertions for that town as he
did for his home town.
Nothing doing" is about the best
way to express the outcome. Steun-
enberg has Is inhabitants, Ferdinand
has 10; you may shoot an arrow
from one town to the other, just as
you may drive golf ball from lilo to
Vollmer.
At one stage in the protestations
the citizens of the towns which thot
they were badly used appealed to
Senator Borah, so Mr.. Rohlfing says
but Congressman Hamer bitterly re-
scented any interference, and made
known his resentment 1t is intimat
ed too. that Senator Hepburn also de-
sisted from action In the premises,
on account of Hamer's jealousy of in
reference by the senators.
Mr.. Rohlfing spent twelve days
here-he returned to lilo somewhat
better acquainted with the meaning ca
that old saying: "Slaves, who, upon
the winking of authority, understand
law"
He was accorded Ia earrings before
some of the officiag,~so that the re
cord was kept straight and seems
I, prove that the matter had passed
through the usual channels, been
passed mon by the regular inspectors