Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1912-07-12
HAWLEY HOLDS
THE WHIP HAND

Governor Hawley will be In complete
control Of the Democratic campaign In
Idaho this year. He will uame the new
chairman Of the state committee to
succeed John F. Nugent when the COM
mittee reorganizes in September, and
he will lay down the lines upon which
the fight is to be made.
This much was settled In the recent
Democratic platform convention, held
in this city. It has been made clear
since that the real issue ut stake in that
convention was the control Of the party
organization. The governor and his
friends won such q complete victory
that he who runs may read the drift in
the state.
Right after the Coeur d. Alepe con-
vention Chairman Nugent and his
hackers within,the party organization
girded on their armor for the platform
convention. They we're determined to
control IL, they were determlDed to
.'smoke Hawley ont as they expressed
it. and compel him to run either for the
senate or for governor. II he decided
to run for the senate, then Moses Alex
ander was to be the nominee for COVER
nor. II he decided to run for governor,
then George W. Tannahill was to run
for the senate. 1t was agreed that the
governor could have his first choice, but
one choice was the limit.
The result of the convention is well
known. Governor Hawley made q
sweep. His opponents surrendered and
retired to tents; they were out of it,
they said and the other fellows were at
liberty to do as they pleased with their
steam roller. 1t was with the greatest
difficulty that the friends OF Governor
Hawley succeeded in getting up state
and county ticket. In fact. they failed
in q number OF instances and were
forced to leave blank spaces on the
ticket.
In the meantime Chairman Nugent
and Frank B. Kinyon had announced
that they were through, they were
ready to quit, aud were counting the
day until their successors as chairman
and secretary of the state committee
would relievesthem.
Then came the upheaval at Balti-
more. The complete and overwhelm-
ing victory for the radicals in, the par
ty, under the leadership OF Bryan,
brought the radicals in Idaho to the
front again, and Nugent and Kinyon
are looked upon as the most ultraradic-
ais in the party. It Is limited now that
they sadly regret their declaration of
giving up control of the organization
that under present conditions they
would like nothing better than to lead
the coming fight.
Too latei This Is the word passed
down TO Nugent and Kinyon from the
Hawley camp. They have been given
to understand that they have been
taken at their word and that the lead
ers now in the saddle expect them to
step down and ont gracefully when
their allotted time comes. :
Who will succeed Nugant and Kim
yon as chairman and secretary is not
yet given out. II Is said that Judge X.
/. PeIky could have the ohairmanship
of the committee IL he would take 1t,
but the impression Is ont that the Judge
would not touch the job with 10-foot
pole after the treatment he received at
Coeur d 'Alene.
The new chairman will be g man
wholly acceptable to Governor Hawley,
and it is not unlikely that the governor
will pick the man. It is possible that
he may hold ont the olive branch to Nu-
gent after his return from Baltimore,
and some go go as 10 hint that the gov
ernor might insist on NuRsnt's holding
the Job, 10 the interest Of harmony, but