Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1916-10-26
MI IHO|IJ IlE6UIlD
OFC. T. KOELScH
IN LEGISLATURE
Ross w. Bates Speaks on
State Issues at the Belfry
School-Other Candidates
Heard.

One of a series of meetings by the
Democratic county candidates, and one
of the most successful, was held last
night at the Belfry school. An en-
thusiastic audience of over 100 was
present and greeted the speakers with
a pleasant and cordial reception. Miss
Lulu Vance was presented as the first
speaker and gave very interesting 10
minute talk Miss Vance paid a high
compliment to the University of Ida
no which she attended for two years
before going to the University of Cali
fornia where she took special course
in educational supervision. She stated
that the University of Idaho was a
great credit to the state and one of the
best young universities in the country.
She was followed by Mrs. Matilda
Crichfieid, candidate for county treas
urer. Walter Whitaker. candidate for
assessor and Sheriff Pfost.
The legislative candidates were then
presented and Ross w. Bates closed
the meeting with an interesting 40
minute speech. In his speech Mr..
Bates declared that the actions of the
Republican office holders in the state
house now as two years ago regarded
their public office as a private graft.
1.-TWO years ago the people were start
led to learn that Allen and Coleman
had stolen $4,000 from the state
treasury" said Mr.. Bates. The man
who tried to keep the All N steal from
the public as long as possible in order
to defend the Republican machine was
George Barker, then in charge of the
Republican publicity bureau For this
service to the machine, Barker was
Aff Of "a I .
of state in which position for the last
two years he has consistently tried to
block every measure of the governor
for economy and efficiency and because
he was inspired by partisan politics, it
is notorious that he was generally
wrong in his votes. A glazing example
of the way Barker and other Repub-
lican officers looked on public business
was the Coffin fee matter. The at
torney general is paid a good salary for
doing the legal work of the state. More
than that the state provides him with
two assistants which are paid good
salaries These gentlemen do not seem
to be overwork ed. but have time for
fishing trips and hunting expeditions,
vet Attorney Geenral Peterson thought
ii necessary to hire an outside at
torney to bring some simple foreclo-
sures for the state and over the pro-
test of Governor Alexander, $3.50 OF
the taxpayers money was actually
paid out to T. C. Coffin by the order of
the Republican members Of the state
land board.
PLANNED A PARTNERSHIP.
''Who was this T. c. Coffin-an en-
terprsing young lawy sr with whom At
torney General Peterson, one OF the
members who voted TO pay him this
fee, was planning to form a partner
ship in Pocatello after his term had
expired. Coffin actually got $3.50 70,
services which the attorney genera
and his assistants should have taker
care OF themselves and Coffin tried K
get $4,000 more for prosecuting thu
suit against the bonding company Il
recover money peculated by other Re
publican state officials"
Mr.. Bates said that if it were only
coincidence it was at least an inter
esting coincidence that this import
ant case should be turned over to MI
Coffin shortly after his resignation a