Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1912-10-10


until such amendment be adopted we
iaVor an amendment to the election
laws OF the state providing for the no.
mlnation Of the United States senators
oy the people and pledging legislative
candidates to vote for the candidate
FOR United States senator who receives
the highest number of votes at sncb
election, regardless of party.
we reaffirm our unfaltering alle-
glance to the principles of the direct
primary for the nomination of candi-
dates for office. We recommend such
amendments to existing laws as will in.
ciude presidential electors; make the
law more effective; prohibit large ex.
penditures Of money to secure nomi.
nations and provide for the election of
delegates to the platform conventions
OF political parties by direct vote of
the people at such primaries.
We also favor the amendment of the
present election laws by the enactment
OF corrupt practice act preventing the
expenditures of money to influence cleo.
tions and to prevent the conveyance of
voters to and from registration offices
and voting places.
We favor such changes in the official
ballot as will remove all party emblems
and will place the names of the candi.
dates for each office in one alternating
alphabetically arranged column upon
the ballot.
We congratulate the people of Idaho
upon the administration of Governor
James H. Hawley whose strong in
dividuality has impressed itself upon
the state government. Every depart
ment has felt it's inspiration of his
leadership and high efficiency has
marked the work in every branch Of the
public service. Order has been brought
out of chaos in the transactions of the
state land board and every possible
assistance within the law has been
granted to the Carey act settlers. Gov.
Hawley performed distinct public SER
vice in securing from the national gov
ernment the final exchange of isolated
tracts of land on the various forest re-
serves for compact body of ninety
thousand acres. And in his strong and
vigorous protests against the harassing
methods of special agents of the federal
government in the treatment of the
settlers and other citizens of Idaho, he
has given expression to the voice of the
people. Governor Hawley has restored
the gubernatorial office to the position
of dignity due it and has given the
state business-like administration, en-
forcing the laws upon the statute books
without fear or favor.
We believe full cash value to be the
only fair and just method of taxing
property and we commend the coura-
geous stand taken by Governor Hawley
in favor of this reform. We condemn
the obstructive tactics employed by
the Republican majority in the legisla-
ture during the recent special session
which resulted in the emasculation of
the revenue bills submitted by Cover
nor Hawley to such special session, and
we. call attention to the absurd provi-
sions insisted upon by such Republican
majority for an assessment on 40 per
cent of the cash value as being decep-
tive and puerile; but we take pride in
the fact that the insurance law pro-
posed by Governor Hawley and enacted
by such special session has procured
more than sufficient revenue to pay the
entire expenses of the special session.
We pledge the democratic party to such
revision of our revenue laws as will
place all property of the state, except
such as are exempt by law, upon the tax
rolls and require each dollar Of valua-
tion to bear it's just share of public ex-
penses. We further pledge the Demo
cratic party to provide such safeguards,
both by constitutional amen 1ments and
legislative enactments, as will .revcnt
any tax levying body, either state,
county or municipal, from again levy
ing upon the people Of the stat, exces-
sive amounts of taxes.
We indorse the action of the .)emo-
cratic members of the Ida.o legisla-
ture of the Eleventh session and coEi-
mend to the consideration Of the poo
pie their efforts in originating an'! ad-
vocating various measures in the inter
ests of strict economy and good govern
ment.
We condemn the action of past Re-
publican legislatures and governors in
creating various offices, boards and
commissions at great expense to the
taxpayers and of little use to the state.
This large number of Office holders in