Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1912-04-11
Commissioner Wallace Talks.
Relieves Taft Will Control State Con-
vention at Lewiston. ---Is Non
Committal on State Politics.


: the republican state convention a
Lewiston, Idaho, next month, but tina
ON uninstructed delegation will be Sc
iected to go to the national convention
at Chicago Is the prediction made b,
James H. Wallis Of Boise, state pure
fIod commissioner Of Idaho, yesterday
our state convention will be held o.
tine when it will be practically de-
termined what forces will have control
Of the Chicago convention and it would
be folly, therefore, for US to tear of
each others shirts In an effort to elect
either Taft or Roosevelt men to %
there" said Mr.. Wallis. do not mean
to infer that there is no contest going
on in our state between these opposing
forces, because that would not be true,
but there is no bitterness and every.
body seems to feel that when the dele.
gates get to Lewiston they will be in
better position to decide what is the
proper course to pursue. For that
reason the very best men are being
selected and with but two or three ex
ceptions, mixed delegations have been
elected In every county where conven.
tons have SO far been held.
II have failed to hear Of one instance
where any county convention has failed
to indorse President Taft's administra.
ton. This was even true in Boise,
where the Ada county convention Sc.
lected full set OF Roosevelt delegates.
There 10 no disposition even among the
anti-Taft people to discredit his ad-
ministration, but rather feeling that
It would be best for the republican
party to agree upon some third man,
such as Supreme Justice Hughes, to
head the national ticket. The DISPOSE
ition is growing to select eight Of our
strongest republicans, men in whom
the party as whole has the greatest
confidence and let them 60 to Chicago
with their hands free, there to do what
their judgment tells them is for the
best.
Heated contests in our counties
might lose US the legislature and this
we cannot afford, for it would mean
the defeat Of Senator Borah for reelec-
;tion and this would be a calamity to
Idaho. The democrats have been in
creasing their strength in the last three
sessions OF the legislature and It would
only take few counties to give them
control. Since we lost the head Of our
ticket last election when Governor
Brady was defeated for reelection.
there has been a disposition to get
together and under the wise general
ship OF our state chairman, Judge Heit-
man, much has been done to accom-
plish this. n this unification of the
party should continue and no Deep
seated antagonism will result from the
campaigns that lay before us this sum.
mer, the republican party of Idaho
will win"
Commissioner Wallis was asked
whether he considered the Lewiston
convention would take any hand in
selecting state ticket. Most de-
cidedly il will not. Such action would
be absolutely in violation OF our state
primary law and would spell defeat for
any candidate whose representatives
might try II. OF course, when two or
three hundred prominent party work.
ers get together 1t is natural to suppose
they will discuss their favorite candi-
dates and the Lewiston bunch will be
no different. Undoubtedly men will
leave there with some better idea of
what they will do
Asked rs to who seemed to be the
strongest candidate for governor on the
republican ticket Commissioner Wallis
declined to express preference il he
had one. 1.-THE party" he said, "has
got to put up a strong man to beat |
Governor Hawley, l know that much.
There are some who seem to think any
'ne can put it over him, but the sooner
hey disabuse themselves on this score
he better. With the exception Of his
ull valuation scheme, which disturbed
matters at the time. but with regard to
which there is divided opinion even
lmong the republicans, there has been
very little to criticize in Governor
tawley's administration. He is clean,
air, frank, and intensely loyal to his
tate and her interests, and none know
hem better than he."