The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1911-10-05
ALIST OF OUR
CONGRESSMEN
Those Who Have Represent.
ed Since Becoming
A State.

IOWtT uOuSt, luduO uOW UcSluS
her ascent to greater power, COM
mensurate with her rapidly in
creasing population, writes G. Z.
Ardney.
Willis Sweet was Idaho's first
congressman and served from
November 1890 to March 4, 1895.
He was succeeded by Edgar Will
son, who served from March 4,
1895, to March 4, 1897. Then
came James Gum who served
from March 4, 1897, until March
4, 1899. Then came Edgar
Wilson again who served from
March 4, 1899, until March 4,
1901. Then Thomas Glenn ser
we'd from March 4, 1901, to March
4, 1903. He was succeeded by
Burton French who served from
March 4, 1903, until March 4,
1909. Then Thomas Hamer ser
we'd from March 4, 1909, until
March 4, 1911.
He was succeeded by Burton
French Whose term of office, and
the last one to be filled by one
single congressman will end
March 4, 1913.
Of these six congressman three
have been republicans, (Sweet,
French and Hamer); one has
been a republican first, then a
silver republican, (Wilson), and
two have been populists, (Gunn
and GLENN.
All these ex-congressmen are
living, and all but one are living
now in the state which honored
them Willis Sweet is the ex-
ception. He is publishing the
Porto Rican Review, a magazine
paper, in Porto Rico. Wilson is
practicing law in Boise. Gum
is retired and lives in Boise.
Glenn is practicing law in
Montpelier, Hamer is practicing
law in st. Anthony and French
is at present enjoying a vacation
from his official duties in his
home in Moscow.
Each representative in congress
save one (Glenn) has been a
lawyer. Gum was a miner and
newspaper writer.
Sweet and French were elect
ed to congress from Latah. Will
son from Ada, Gum from Bear
Lake and Hamer from Fremont
county.
Sweet yielded up his right to
his seat through fruitless ambi-
tion to defeat Senator George L.
Shoup for the senate. Wilson fail
ed as his own successor through
a split in the republican party in
1896, and again in 1900 through
fusion apportionment which
gave the congressman to the pop
ulists. Gum lost out for a second
term because in fusion arrange
ment the silver republicans were
accorded the congressional nom
inee. Glenn failed of renomina
tion because his party went out
of business during his term of of
eice. French was defeated for re
nomination toward the close OF
his third term. Hamer was de-
feated for denomination in the
first direct primary nomination &
year ago.
At the next general election {
year hence, two congressman will
be elected at large from the state
of Idaho and this will be the on
ly intsance of this nature, for be
fore the 1914 election the twelfth
session of the Idaho Legislature
will meet and divide the stat,
into two congressional districts
This division of the state will
constitute a very interesting, a
well as a very important, piec'
of political legislation. 1t ha'
been discussed and is being now
by the politicians with no small
degree of interest. 1t is sub
sect matter upon which men hav
fxnd are sure to develope tens
views.
1t has been contended and vii
be that the natural boundarie
of the state should be regarded
in the making of this congresSioi
al district boundary line; tha
north Idaho, the non-arid belt o
the state should constitute on
district and south Idaho, the ari,
belt, the other. Friends of sue