Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1917-04-03

offered me the appointment; on the
condition, however, that | sign the
resignation form presented to me,
which | was given to understand was
his policy in making appointments, in
order that he could remove without
difficulty an appointee for miscon-
duct in office. Believing this was an
established policy, and believing also,
as | did at that time, that the COVER
nor would not take advantage of such
undated resignation unfairly, or with
out ample cause, | accepted the posi-
ton under this condition.; but with
the express understanding that | be
permitted to conduct the office in a
non-partisan manner, independent of
politics.
Everything went along smoothly
the first Is months of my term-or,
in other words, until the last cam
paign was over and the governor
found himself safely reelected.
No Change in Policy.
Since the last election l have con-
Quoted the office in identically the
same manner as before, and have
made the same effort to Wa TX har-
moniously with the governor, but
have been forced to realize that | had
served the governors purpose and
was no longer wanted in the admins
tration.
By threats and intimidations the
governor has attempted to make me
lie down in my fight against the
vicious outside interests that have so
long robbed the producers and con-
sumers in this state.
When | had number of bills pre-
sented in the recent legislature, for
remedying the evils from which
Idaho producers and consumers have
long suffered, Governor Alexander
summoned me to his private office
and demanded that | go to the agri-
cultural committee in the legislature
and withdraw the measures. I tried
to reason with him. / showed him
that these measures had the endorse
ment of the farmers organizations
in all parts of the state. | told him
l had discussed the need of these
relief measures with over fifteen
thousand farmers throughout the
state, and that | should not be ex-
pected to betray the trust that these
farmers had placed in me.
The governor finally made the
threat that unless ] went over to the
legislature and had these bills with
drawn that | would be out of office
inside of six months.
Refused to .Betray Trust.
l refused to betray the trust the
farmers had placed in me.
Some of the bills were forced
tbrot1nh tb0 lar c1o +,,,-o ,,vo,, A. Il
mands of the farmers organizations.
The farmers demanded that the meas
ures passed by the legislature become
law. The governor then decided to
sign them; but also decided to put in
new state market director to adj
minister the laws.
The governor yesterday carried out
his threat to get me out of office,
when he took from his files the resig-
nation signed a year ago last April,
and dated it for acceptance at this
time.
l have been fair to the governor, I
have made a sincere effort to work
in harmony with him, but I have re-
fused to be intimidated in what I
knew to be my plain duty. | have
refused to trade my conscience and
self-respect for a state house job.
For my successor in office, who
evermay be APPOINTED, I have the
best of good wishes and hopes for
success. My heart is in the cause
which the Idaho farm markets law
represents. l want the department
to grow and increase in value, as my
reputation is at stake in the success
or failure of the principle of state
aid in marketing.
w. G. SCHOLTZ,
State Director of Farm Markets.