The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1916-12-07

patronage PIE NheH STATE SAeCdtiNe
officers ELECT and party leaders met
with the governor in his office at the
state house Sunday morning, asks the
Boise Statesman.
Certain democrats who were pres
ent denied any appointments were
agreed upon. They insisted that the
shaking of the plum tree was put over
for a week or two, when second con-
the names of party workers who
would be given positions.
In some quarters ii was declared
Sunday night that the main object of
leaders as a group the distribution of
patronage-a privilege which John F.
Nugent is said to have wanted for
himself alone. Though Nugent was
invited to the meeting he stayed away
and the agreement reached seems to
nave shorn him of his power to a
great extent.
James H. Hayley, Jr, secretary of
the democratic state central commit
tee. when asked for a statement de-
clared Governor Alexander had been
authorized to give out any information
which it was desired should ~be re-
leased to the newspapers.
The governor was perfectly willing
to talk, but as is often his custom, he
wanted the subject matter to be of
another topic aside from politics.
Broxon for Prison Warden.
1t is understood that one of the
points decided was that C. o. Broxon,
the governors present secretary, has
been decided upon as the successor of
John W. Shook, the warden at the
state penitentiary.
To guard against premature infor-
nation reaching the public it was
agreed that all in attendance at the
conference should take an oath to re-
peat nothing of what occurred at the
executive session of the party leaders.
1t was denied that the oath prescribed
was signed with blood. That over
sight on the governors part made the
oath less binding and left some of the
Bourbons feeling free to talk.
From information gained from the
party leaders who gave up bits of in
formation it is deduced that the two
hours consumed by the conference was
spent in determining how best an
election bombproof democratic politi-
cal machine could be built up over the
state. 1t was the consensus of opin-
ion that such a machine could be
made to serve the best interests of the
party by recognizing the claims for
appointments made by the organiza-
tons in the several counties, rather
than at the direction of any one indi-
viduaL
Certain positions were discussed,
those in attendance at the meeting
admitted; but they all denied that any
names were linked with the jobs.
Democrats who We're not invited to
the conference would like to feel as
sured of those statements, not that
they would object if no appointments
were settled upon them, they say, but
like the colored preacher and the bear,
party workers who are seeking posi-
tons would be delighted to know that
if they did not get the Endorsements
of leaders, their opponents for the jobs
were not helped, either :
All Sections Represented.
pourhonc oa ma from tba foIr cOr-
ners of the state to the conference ex-
pecting to have their noses counted
when the meeting was called to order
by the governor, but in that they were
disappointed Every seat was made
to accommodate an influential demo-
crat and unless others applying at the
door for admission could produce Gre
dentials above reproach and salts
factory to those who arrived first at
the statehouse they were denied a
voice in the party counsel.
From the north came Harry L. Day
and Ramsey Walker both of Wallace,
and D. L. Greenburg, of Moscow. All
three had the countersign and were
allowed to pass the inner sentinel DR..
w r. Hamilton, chairman Of the state
central committee, was there from
Weiser Other faces more familiar to
Boise people included former Govern
or James III. Hawley, Frank Martin,
K. /. Perky, James H. Hawley, Jr.,
Fred Floed, c. O. Broxon and A. C.
Hindman. With them were seated w.
T. Dougherty of Richfield r. A. Wal
tiers of Caldwell, Clarence Van Deusen
of this city and the governor
Appointive officers now holding Of
flee by virtue of the governors good
will were not among those invited to
the conference. Neither did any dem
ocrat known to be a candidate for a
job with the new administration get
into the meeting. In his campaign
speeches the governor told his audi
ences that no secret meetings were
held in his office; everything, he said,
which went on in his office must be
open and above board. The violation
of that statement was explained away
by Bourbon who had the correct
pass word He said that since the
governor had made it voluntarily