The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1916-03-24
Comment On Political Affairs
By THE EDITOR

that season of the political year given
over, by common consent, to reports
rumors and roorbacks. A long time
ago there was report current to the
effect that Governor M. Alexander
would not make fight for the Dem
ocratic nomination for governor TINS
year. The report developed into the
rumor that he mad made up his mine
to accept the nomination under nc
conditions; and finally the roorback
was evolved and set in motion thai
Governor Alexander could sec that he
could not be reelected and would re,
tire from the field, securely wrapped
in the honors he had CLEANED
The Tribune does not know the inn
pulse nor the why's and wherefores
but we do know that prominent Dem
ocrats of Boise are looking forward to
another candidate for governor on
their ticket this fall. They have con
cluded hat Mr.. Alexander will not
accept a second nomination and they
are casting about for his successor.
Mr.. John +. Nugent is under consid-
Grafton but more about him anon.
Either because he is tired Of official
life, or because he fears that he can
not be reelected, Governor Alexander
has decided that he will not be a
candidate this year. A statement will
be given the public at an early date
setting forth the reasons why he will
not be a candidate for reelection.
Governor Alexander. like other men
who have gone before, and like other
men who will come in the hereafter,
is disappointed in the governorship.
He found early in his official life that
there were many things which he
wished to do that he could not do.
He found that his actions were cir
cumscribed by statutes, limited by
conditions; and restrained ny other
men and their ambitions. His best
intentions came to naught and his
ceaseless activities resulted in failure
Of accomplishment. He has fitted
ness of Alexander and spreading the
gible effect The people still insist
upon holding him to his original
promises, and all the palaver on other
subjects is as jejune as apples Of
seriously new promises in the face of
the fate of the old.
Governor Alexander has probably
made as good governor as such a
man can make. He will not tie him
self down to the dull routine of Office
He wants to go approaching. He will
not attend to the cares of state. He
wants to be on the crusade day and
night. His whole anxiety seems to
be, not to perform the functions Of
his Office in regular and systematic
manner. but to dart about the state
carrying messages to the people OF
the things he is about to. do. Govern
or Alexander as a governor is a joke.
AS man he has many most admirable
qualities, and as citizen he is most
useful He had better retire to that
private station which he so conspicu-
ously adorns.
The Successor-The successor, as a
candidate, is likely to be the Hon.
John F. Nugent. Mr.. Nugent wants
the office, thinks that he can be elect
ed, and as his natural opponents in
the Democratic party think that he
cannot be elected, it is we'll that he
should be lead to the sacri6cial altar
The party seems to feel that it needs
sacrihcator who will also be the
secriice and is willing that Mr.. NJ.
gent be it. As the lamb friends and
foes are agreed upon Mr.. Nugent-
the friends because they have hopes
that he will slip across. while the foes
are in hopes that the nomination will!
be the spade with which they can dig
the political grave of the Hon. John
Now Hon. John F. Nugent has been
killed dead and deeply buritd many
times in the past. With persistence
worthy of better cause Mr.. Nupent
refuses to remain dead and buried.
he pops up serenelv and on top BIZ
annually. He probably knows what he
is dong at this very minute and if it
appears the part of wisdom to Mr.
Nugent you will probably fnr him
the Democratic nominee for governor
this very fall, Be it remembered
however that the governorship is only
a temporary stopping place in the am
bition of Mr., Nugent. The present
ultimate destination of Mr.. Nugent is
Washington, d. c. and his postoffice
address will have these words append
cd, Gre of the United States SEN
ate, Sometimes 4 person must 60 a
long way around to get home. IF Mr..
Nugent reckons the shortest distance
to the senate as via the governorshin
OF Idaho you may put it down and
underscore it twice. that that will be
the route he will select If any one
thinks that he is putting anything
over on John F. Nugent or is about
to put ANYTHING over. in the words of
'anta,n Cutie, he had better "over-
haul the book"
The Senatorship-Senator Brady is
somewhat better, according to press
reports from Washington. The people
generally hope that he is fully recov-
cred from his recent sickness. The
TACT that Senator Brady is getting
along to that period in life when a Sc
we're attack of sickness may rrove ia
tai, leads politicians to speculate on
his tenure of life Some of them we
tear would not look upon his manu-
mission as an unmixed calamity. They
would feel that the state would puiI
through IN some manner ar other ,pd