The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-01-22
COMMISSION Or
NO COMMISSION
That Is the Burning Question
Now Coming to the Front
in Idaho.
G00DING FIGHTS FOR 1T:
THE SOUTHEAST OPPOSES
The Plea Against Is First Get
Your Railroads, Regulate
Afterward.
By O. z, ARNEY.

Special TO Ine TT1Guno,
BOISE, Idaho, Jan. 21@The railway
commission pledge in the Republican
party platform promises to be the storm
center of the eleventh session of the
state legislature. II the commission be
not created, it will be defeated by a
much narrower margin than the esti
mstors of public affairs had calcu
lated.
The line of attack on the members
has been and is fierce. There are diff
ferences of opinion as to the stand
which the executive, Governor Hawlcy,
will take on the matter, should the bill
pass both branches, It is contended by
the north Idaho members that he said
enough in his Latah county speech to
lead them to believe that he will not
sign the bill should it pass.
The sentiment for the commission is
augmented by the members OF the Boise
Commercial club, a large majority of
whom are in favor of the passage Of the
bill creating the commission. They
have committees here among the mem
bers constantly.
Gooding Against Railroad.
Former Governor Gooding is opposed
a grievance against the Short Line and
broods over it, and he is not a man to
brood alone or in silence. He acts, and
he acts with some considerable degree
of ingenuity.
The ex-governor and others who fa-
for the commission bring forth very
plausible political reason why favorable
action should be taken by the session.
They reason that it was party pledge
. I,4 C {b.a
cratic governor. They call attention
to the previous election, when Alex
ander made campaign against Brady
on platform containing pledge for
railway commission, as proof that
now, both parties having used the
plank, it will serve TO be a factor in
nolitics until eliminated by the crea-
ton OF the commission.
Then again the Lame Duck bri-
gade come in for their proportion Of
consideration. These are the appointees
of Brady who were turned out on the
public range to Craze for at least two
years, as rest from duty" incident
ally minus their regular convenient
monthly stipend. These are sorely dis
ar~"intcd that the affairs of the state
must jog along without their director
ship. They are still angry at every
agency which served to encompass the
ueIedL VI IHClJ luuI, NONCfHOT v,
They cry out for revenge and they de-
sire it on all forces which contributed
TO his defeat.
Acute Judges of politics are alarmed
at the strength which the measure is
likely to receive.
The Southeast Resents.
It is we'll understood that the south
cast vote is resentful of any attempt
TO create a railroad commission now,
or until the situation shall warrant.
This applies not only to the directed
vote of the southeast, on all subjects.
but to the independent gentle vote as
well. 1t is factor well worth the Sc
rious study of the molders Of the for
tunes OF the Republican party in their
mad rush to play politics.
Little less than sinful is it for a
party to play cheap politics with mat
ters OF such Importance TO the state
as this commission issue. If there are
commercial or moral reasons for the
commission, create it. If there are
not. reject it. It occurs to ME, how
ever, that fair analysis of the vote
last fall suggests the conclusion that
the railway commission plan is a dead
weight for any party or for any man
10 carry.
Placing it on the basis of a hypothct
ical case, if Frank r. Gooding, with
his we'll known opposition to the rail
roads. should carry out his threat TO
run for governor on this issue, he would
fall far behind the vote which Brady
received in November last, and the
chief reason for this would be that the
people Of the state who vote believe in
the theory that we should get railroads
first and regulate them when they are
here and the necessity appears for reg.
ulating.