The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1912-07-18

about very much as 1t finally
occurred. Facing his fate, he was
the master OF his fears, and
neither by word Or action gave
token that he would have it
oJerwlse.
in 1900 Governor Stuenenberg's
second term IS Governor expired.
rank IlunC was nominated anu
elected Governor by the Democratic
party OF this State. He had no sooner
taken his seat than he was impor-
tuned to pardon Paul Corcoran. The
strangest possible influence was
Drought to bear upon the board OIL
pardons and finally an unconditional
paruon was granted Governor Hunt
and Secretary OF State Bassett voting
tor the pardon, and Attorney General
Frank Martin voted against the par
don.
Feeling in Idaho ran high over
the pardon OF Paul Corcoran and
upon Governor Hunts action the
Democratic party in Idaho was div
ided into two elements, one known as
the Law and Order party and the
oIner element as the "Dynamiters.
Governor hunt was renominated the
second time by the Democratic party
OF this State. John T. Morrison was
nominated for Governor by the Re-
publican party.
morrison as Law And Order
Candidate.
l was elected as the State Chair
man OF the Republican party, and
In handling that campaign the pardon
OF Paul Corcoran was made one OF
the issues OF the Republican party.
On the stump and everywhere John
T. Morrison condemned by the most
torcible language he could command
the actions OF Governor Hunt in
pardoning Paul Corcoran. and in that
campaign the, Republican party had
the support of practically all the law
and order Democrats of this State.
1t was well known that in quiet
way Governor Stuenenberg supported
John 7. Morrison, in the election.
Openly Pete Stuenenberg, his brother,
worked for the election OF John T.
Morrison. The two men, Ex-Governor
Stuenenberg and John, T. Morrison,
at that time lived in the same town,
the splendid little city of Caldwell.
Iney were friends. John T. Morrison
has always professed to the public
that Frank Stuenenberg was his dear
friend and neighbOr, and that the
family ties were as close as love
and friendship could make them by
one another.
In the attack upon the Hunt
administration for the pardon of
Paul Corcoran, Morrison profited
to the extent of several thousand
Democratic votes. Idaho, then q
Democratic State, was turned
over into the Republican col
umn by several thousand major
ity, and John T. Morrison fell
heir to Frank Steunenberg's
stand that he had taken for law
; and order. The respect and
friendship that he then pro-
fessed for Governor Steunenberg
should have bound him with
chains that never should have
been broken.
Then came the ill-fated evening o.
December 81, 1906. 1t was the nigh
before New Years, when the hearts
If men all over the land should have
been filled with gladness and goot
will towards their fellow men. i
was then at his own home just as the
darkness of night had cast it's shad
VS. Stuenenberg with his own hand
opened his gate to his home and the
dynamite that had been planted ther'
was exploded and Idaho's martyret
Governor was blown into eternity.
For the first time since the sign
ing of the Declaration of Independ
ence Governor of great com
monwealth paid the penalty with hi
own life for the enforcement Of Law
and order within his own State, and
on Idaho soil the greatest crime IL