The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1916-11-24
TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION
IDAHO ELECTION LAWS
NEED REFORMING.

Dn waking from their daze and
sense of stupefactiOn after the result
OF the election became known. the re
publican managers in Idaho asked one
another and everybody else who II
was that struck Billy Patterson,
Although the election laws and ma
chinery were OF their own device and
admins tration. they raised the cry OF
fraud when all else had failed to ac
count for their undoing and the cleo
ton OF Alexander and democratic
legislature.
The Recorder never thought for IA
moment that the threatened contest
would be carried very far. A day or
TWO ago We were informed that there
was nothing to 1t and that it would
be abandoned.
And yet the election laws of Idaho
are loose jolnted affairs; they need re
forming altogether ON the point that
hundreds OF voters may be Sworn
In" ON the day they present them,
S'lNVb IT Nlc poliS' "ithout NNol nav
ing been registered beforehand. II Is
quite doubtful that Mr. Davis did not
profit more from this class of voters
than did Alexander, for the managers
of the formers campaign had the
greater leverage to attract them.
From personal knowledge we recall
an election in Idaho, where the prohi-
bition question was submitted in one
county, there were hundreds of such
voters who presented themselves on
election day, brought TO the polls, GER
tainly not by the prohibitionists, for
they had no campaign funds for
the purpose, while the other side had.
There was no evidence that the demo
Gratis in the recent campaign had any
funds to spare for such an enterprise.
SIN We are glad TO see the former
benehciaries OF ldaho's election laws
late day. Whether the republicans
help or not, these laws and many
others are TO be reformed and cod.
fled according to democratic ideas OF
goN ernmeut
Coming down to the very kernel OF
the matter in Idaho politics, the vo-
ters we're sick aud tired OF the Aliens
and the crew. perhaps just as bad rs
himself. who stil sought to run the
state government. The attempted
Comm steal OF $4,000 which
Governor Alexander held up was in
line with the misappropriations by the
former state treasurer amounting 70
$4,000. So was the borrowing by
Attorney General Peterson OF $500
from the arch treasury detaulter.
What Is here said ID not mere par
tlsanship but the opinion generally
felt throughout the state even by re-
publicans. az witness the following
from the Lewiston Banner. u staunch
supporter of the party in Idaho now
30 thoroughly discredited:
Al last the republican party in Ida
hO got what 1t has had coming for Il
long time. and We hope the leaders
will gulp IL down and say they like
IT, The little gang in Boise-politi
cal gangsters picked out .. v
Allen as good material for state treas
uieT. are responsible for the defeat oI
the republican party IN this state
This downfall OF the party began with
the nomination OF Allen, and matters
have been going from bad 10 worse
ever since, The expulsion was bound
10 come, and II is perhaps good
thing for Idaho that IL occurred at this
election. Republican state officials
some OF them at least--haye had an
idea that the state belonged to the TO.
publican party, and that they could do
AS they pleased, Advice To them. from
amy source. was insulting. They were
the whole thing and what they said
right or wrong. had TO go. The attor.
mes general was the big smoke. and
anything pulled on in his department
was all right-couldn't be otherwise.