Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-02-24
LETTER WRITTEN IN 1915.

Following is the text of the letter re-
ferrcd to by Senator Borah, written to
a member of the state senate during
the session OF 1915:
February 20, 1915.-My Dear Sena-
tor: ] have your letter Of recent date
and while / am physically in very
bad shape to do anything. l will brief
ly submit my view of the situation
with regard to the primary election
law. I have no feeling about the mat
ter but very earnest conviction.
In the first place was this question
submitted to the people in any way
during the last campaign? Was there
any intimation of such an intention in
our platform? Did the candidates for
the Legislature pledge themselves to
the repeal? II 1t was submitted to
the people and you deem the instruc-
ton from the people to have been
given, Of course It should be re-
pealed although so far as ] am con-
cerned ] would not consent to it's re-
peal II every man, woman and child
in the state insisted upon it. II it
was not submitted to the people and II
II was not an issue in the campaign,
is it wise to undertake to gethcr up
the sentiment of the people from a
very few, most of whom have always
been against the primary?
Second, | am informed quite directly
that If you pass law emasculating
the bill by providing for state conven-
ton, etc, the governor will veto the
bill II may be that l am in error as
to this Information and you will per-
haps know better than I do. ! do not
entertain much doubt, however. as to
what he will do and II my judgment
is worth anything the politics would
be altogether on his side, and so far
as that Is concerned. in my judgment
the justice and wisdom would be on
his side.
FEAR PLATFORM DECLARATION.
Would IT not be wiser, IN regard to
peoples measure. called for by the
people and in my judgment wanted by
a great majority OF the people, to
submit 1t at election as an issue, and
] will venture to say that there Is
not a political party in the state of
Idaho which will dare to go on rec
ord in its platform in the next cam
paign against it's repeal.
Now. with reference to excepting
senators and representatives. upon re-
Election, I will not ask for that. II
you conclude to pass the law and to
provide a state con N1ntion, let the tall
go with the hide. II thought the peo-
pie of the state wanted senator
manipulated In the old way ! would
be perfectly willing for them to have
him, and IL they want state officers
nominated that way. ! presume they
want senators nominated that way.
And ! would not want. therefore, from
purely personal reasons and personal
advantages to be an exception at the
peoples expense. SO let the whole
thing 70 II you move in that direction
at all. ! am very clearly of the
opinion that we ought not to repeal the
primary law nor start to repeal 1t
without a direct instruction from the
people to do So And l repeat that
when they give that instruction ]
will still be contending that the law
should remain but would frankly
concede 1t to be the duty OF the leg
islature to follow instructions. ! do
not want to be unjust because know
that there are some men who are per-
"S~S's -''SuSAaotS, pOihGNsiS' hPAAo's oh'
conscientious public servants who are
opposed to the principle Of this law
and concede to them their right OF
opinion without any question whatever.
But II you would eliminate those who
are opposed to this law because they
have not been successful under II and
those who are not in favor Of clean
politics at all. there would not be SO
very many Of those who are conscien-
tiously opposed to II on principle.
Now, in conclusion, let me say, afte:,