The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-01-08
IDAHO FRAUD
INVESTIGATION
Not Founded on an Impartial
or Satisfactory Basis of
Procedure.
1T is AV0WEDLY PARTISAN;
PEOPLE SHOULD BE HEARD
The Mackay Dam a Sample of
the DerelictiOn Of the
Board.
BY O. E. ARNEY.
Special TO The Tribune.

Special TO The Tribune.
BOISE, Ida, Jan. MANY Mornons In
the southeast have "poked" all sorts OF
fun at the suggestion OF the existence IN
Idaho OF graft, Of favortism and Of pecu-
lation. The Tribune correspondence has
been devoted In a large degree to this
subject for the last few months. 1t ap-
peared that the situation warranted all
and more than the attention given II in
these columns.
Yesterday a. Republican house passed a
, resolution to investigate the frauds al
legged TO have been committed, and every
voted AYE" on the proposition, the bishop
from Bingham. Peter Johnson, alone be-
ing absent
while ''Peter the Pilot" was over in
Portland. proving TO a woolgrowcrs con-
vention the sacredness of the sheep busi-
ness by naming the Biblical characters
who had engaged in 1t, beginning with
Abel, his (?) legislature in Boise raised
the Investigation" question. in which
the 'bishop from Bingham is involved.
as one of the holders OF an alleged irreg-
ular lease to state lands.
will state few reasons why the
legislature should not pursue the plan
suggested by the unanimous resolution
passed yesterday by the house. with ref
1t was the first thing in the mind OF
the mover OF this motion that certain
Democrats had made this a campaign
issue against certain Republicans" Mr.
Black. the member from Kootenai,
wishes 10 Sit or have a committee con-
trolled by himself and his Republican
associates to sit, in judgment on this
matter. entirely germane to partisan
politics.
Better Plan Needed.
Almost every member of the Republi-
can house which passed this resolution
whose, voices are still hoarse from
stumping their respective counties in de-
tense of the members of the Idaho state
land board, must necessarily be consid
cred biased judges.
Does the member from Kootenai or
people of Idaho will be satisfied with
partisan investigation OF this whole
matter?
Frank Gooding, James H Brady. Rob
ert Lansdon, s. Belle Chamberlain and
even Donald McDougall are entitled TO
better consideration at the hands OF the
people of Idaho than this. What IL they
he innocent Of any OF the charges made
in the heat of a political campaign? Are
they not entitled to a clearance on these
in the minds OF suspicious people? II
may not get this at the hands of a conf
'nittoe of ''top-heavy" Republicans. or
top heavy" Democrats?
A Sample Case.
Let US, for instance take the Mackay
dam and the proposed settler under 1t,
who lives In Chicago, as an example.
He reads of the proposed plan of the
member from Kootenai, and being posted
on politics. Immediately admits that no
sort OF faith should be placed in any re
port such q committee may make 1t
might be right; it might be wrong. 1t
IS entirely supposable, yet scarcely pre-
sumable, that a Republican committee
could be found in these two houses which
could act with fairness. 1t is more like
~ that political bias would govern their
acts. as II Is apparently governing most
of the acts Of the legislature from the
speaking OF the word "ameny by the
chaplain to the fall OF the gavel dis,
missing the body.
Let US have commission named from
the body of the citizenship OF the state.
which will be above reproach. men not
identified with politics. men who have
not condemned or defended the state Of
ficials charged with graft" peculation
and coercion. Let US have a commission
whose reports will lull TO rest the Chi
cago investor. the Idaho Democratic ora
tor and the Republican bolter.