The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1917-12-13

BOISE, Dec. IA district congress
sional fight is shaping itself in Idaho
1t will be the first of its kind held
in the history Of the state The last
legislature by passing an act dividing
the state into the first and second dis
trict made this possible; heretofore
Idaho has elected her congressman at
large. Hereafter 1t will elect one from
each Of the two districts. This will
prevent the monopoly of congressman
by one section of the state as against
the other as has usually been the case.
1t will give both northern and south
ern Idaho representation In the lower
halls OF congress. There has been wide
dissatisfaction over the election of the
congressman at large. Signs of lively
Tight In both districts are now in evil
dence. The quiet grooming Of candi-
dates therein is being carried on.
Few of the counties set aside In
these districts has much to say re-
garding their classification, aside from
the voice of their representatives in
the legislature. The dkstricting of
the state was not an issue prior to
the converting of the legislature. Sew
eral district plans were proposed after
the legislature met. They all hinged
on the placing OF Ada county, of which
ASOAoC 10 LhC CuIlltdl, anu 1JS UeIknDOF,
Canyon, two Of the biggest counties
In the state. When the district mel
on was finally cut, Canyon was in
cluded in that slice that became the
First district, and with it went all
or the northern counties. 1t Is in
reality the northern district Ada
county was made part and parcel of
the Second, or the southern district
The territory and population are quite
equally divided the southern district,
however, being the larger of the two
as to territory. Geographically speak
ing diagonal line was run across the
state from a point about where the
Montana division OF the Oregon Short
Line enters Montana southwest to the
ldahoOregon state line directly west
of Caldwell. North of this line Is the
First dictrict south of 1t is the Sec
ond district.
The division Of the counties in these
two districts is as follows:
First--AdamS Boise. Boundary,
Bonner Benewah, Custer, Canyon,
Clearwater. Gem, Idaho, Kootenai,
Lewis, Lemhi, Latall, Nez Perez, Pay
cite, Shoshone Washington, and Val
ley. Total 10.
Second-Ada, Bannock, Blaine,
Bingham, Bonneville, Bear Lake,
Cassia, Elmore Franklin, Fremont.
Gooding, jefferson, Lincoln, Madison,
Minidoka, Owyhee, Oneida, Power
Twin Falls, Teton, Butte and Camas.
Total %
Both of these districts are repre-
scented in congress although the con-
gressmen were elected at large for
Congressman Burton l.. French resides
in the northern district at Moscow
and Congressman Addison Il. Smith
resides at Twin Falls in the center of
the southern district. They will face
strenuous campaign to succeed
themselves in the campaign that Is to
he waged in 1918, for both are repub-
leans and the democrats propose to
elect a solid Jeffersonian delegation
to the lower house if that is possible
The republicans declare 1t is not The
democrats say that it is.
There are now signs of keen com
petition facing both Congressman
French and Smith from within their
own party at the primary election
The principal opposition to French
will come from those within his dis
trict who believe that he has held con.
gressional honors long enough. He is
now serving his fourth term. Con
gresham French was first defeated
by Thomas X. Hamer at the last con
vention held in this state when French
had two-thirds of the delegates pledg.
ed to him, but lost out through Ha-
mers hackers stampeding the conven.
tion at the last moment The primary
election came into effect two years
later and French went before tn PEG.
pie and retired Hamer. French re
manned in office two terms and then
stepped aside to run for senator but
was defeated, and Robert NJ. McCrack
Ell was elected to succeed him. Me
Cracker served but one term wheI
French became a candidate again and
retired him. He will not have op
position from McCracken and his
hackers, for, by drawing the line be
tween the two districts, by a trick OF
fate McCracken, who is a resident OF
Ada county, is removed from French's
district and placed In the Second ol
southern district.
The democrats beheve they can de
feat French and for that reason have
started the grooming of candidates
George Weeks, democratic chairman
Of KoOtenai county. Is one of them
The purpose Of i;ut...g Weeks forward
was to see what effect the suggestion
would have. If opposition develops
10 him, some other prominent demo
cfat will he suggested and in this wa,
public sentiment will be tested to de
termine who the Strongest man pos