Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1916-08-12
PL AN AFooT TO
LOOT STATE.

part III pOHllcS anu III the primary
election to arrest the hands of politi-
cal pirates and commercial bandits
they will wake up next winter to find
legislature and governor in the
state capitol at Boise ready to do the
biding of these mercenaries.'
That is part of the solemn warn
ing issued to Idaho citizens by judge
James F. Ailshie of Occur dAlene,
formerly a member of the Idaho SUI
preme court.
Judge Atlshie declares that there is
a deliberate plot afoot to loot the
state, and that the conditions he des-
cribes are real and not theoretical.
This menace should be impressed
ON the minds of the voters by dis
interested citizens, by men and women
who are not candidates for office"
he continues.
Il have been in Idaho over 20 yeaTs
and | believe | am safe in saying
that at no time in the history of the
state has there been such concen-
trated effort on the part OF big bust
ness and corporations, foreign and do
nestle, to control certain offices, es-
pecially the legislature, as 10 being
put forth at this time and at no time
have the people been to all appear
ances less alert to the situation.
The high tide of what has been
derisively styled agitation and re-
form seems to be subsiding and
while that Is transporting the gum
shoe against, special representatives
and salaried attorneys of these inter
ests dominated by greed who want
legislation that will give legal sane
ton to their loot, want to control
public offices and name appointees
from among their retainers- all these
are now busy getting candidates out
for office.
/ know something of conditions in
Idaho and | feel that every voter in
the state ought to take an active
interest in the nomination of candi-
dates, especially for the legislature
governor, and If, after the primaries
are over, they find that they have
not cleared the ticket of all the ma
chine and corporation candidates
that they finish the job at the genera
election, irrespective of the political
long
Idaho has suffered irreparably in
her reputation and commercial welfar
alike during recent years ON account
OF being dominated by machine poll
tics that most people feel has been
the source of corruption in her pub
lie business and offices. This has
been the condition in state politics
and unfortunately it has reached into
a number of the counties aus we'll.
If men buy their way into office
it stands to reason that they are 60
ing to be reimbursed from some
source.
Hughes is popular in Idaho and
feel confident that he will carry
state by a good majority" continued
Judge Ailshie. HE appeals strongly
to the people who want honest, clean
government and a square deal.
"They remember his record as gov
ernor of New York and that he man
ifested the same courage when the
interests of the common people were
assailed as he did when the business
interests of his state were attacked
and that he insisted in fair treat
ment to each"
The above appeared in the Sunday
morning Statesman. To the writer it
is one of the most incomprehensible
bombs that has ever been exploded in
the political arena Of Idaho. And it
was bomb. On every hand men are
asking who? what? how? Everybody
10 in the dark. Perhaps it was the
Intention of the Judge to explode the
bomb first and then, when the agi
tatlon has reached its heighth, to
come with the explanation. If that
is his intention, the plan is a good
one, for by the end of the week he
will have attracted the attention of
every man and every woman in the
state who take the slightest interest
In politics. Nothing else he could
have done would have stirred the
people like this intimation that there
is great plan on to steal the state
government by certain interests, and
now, If Judge Aibshie comes along
with the explanation; takes the peo-
pie into his confidence and gives theI
the facts, ID he knows anything, he
will have done the people of Idaho a
great service, one for which he