Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1917-02-22
SECESSION LOOKED
upon AS A HUGE
JOKE AT BOISE
HON. A. F. PARKER, BACK FROM
BOISE, so STATES IN
INTERVIEW
Will EXAMINE LAND BOARD
Land Board be Investigated from Time
OF Organizatton-Canno Enforce
Sumptuary Law.

Hon. A. F. Parker was an arrival in
Lewiston Sunday from Boise, where he
had been to learn his duties as state
land agent for northern Idaho. The
land board has given him complete con-
troll of all the state north of Salmon
river, and with 100 sections of the state
land holdings to be sold annually un-
der the constitutional amendment
adopted last November, instead of 25
sections as formerly, he expects to be
in the field most of the time when the
weather clears. The land sales ad-
vertised in the northern counties for
last month have been postponed until
June, these sales aggregating about
5000 acres. The board advised Mr..
Parker that no timber cruisers will be
appointed for the present, and his first
work will be to cooperate with the tim
ber protective association and the for
est service for state representation on
the fire wardens. Mr.. Parker said:
"My work kept me pretty closely
confined to the state house while / was
in Boise, and l had no time to follow
| the legislative proceedings. The press
reports, however, indicate that the
time of the session is largely wasted in
the discussion of freak bills which are
of no Importance to the material in
terests of the state.
"The personnel of both chambers in
dieste a good representative class OF
the citizenship of the state, and they
may be depended upon to deal lberally
with the educational, charitable and
penal institutions of north and south
alike. In my Judgment a million dol
lar bond issue for highway construc
ton will be sanctioned, of which the
north and south highway will be large
beneficiary. There seems to be dis
position to require further information
concerning the proposed Lolo highway
as it appears that no survey has beer
made, and knowledge is required of the
elevation, grades, estimates of cost anc
other material matters affecting it
construction
"The so-called secession movemen
is regarded as practical joke witt
no serious intent. As l was In th
forefront of the battle against the oil
annexation movement in the early 80
| was asked by many of the solons t.
write brief article for the Capita
News, which l did from memory an
gave a chronological history tnereol
which was slated for publication toda,
Sunday, and may be worth reproduc
ing in the Tribune for the benefit o
the new generation of settlers VIII
never heard of it, as well as to refres
, the memories of the past generatio
! who participated therein, the majorit
, of whom have long since passed away
''I find nothing in the constitutio
comforting power upon the legislator
} to divide the state. The legislature
created by the constitution and wha
the legislature shall do and what
shall not do are very clearly define
3 in the state organic law. The solor
| are clearly usurping functions whic
9 do not belong to them in this matte
g aud I suggested to some of the leader
9 of both chambers that they study tt
4 state constitution from which the
n authority is gained. IF this were mo-
t generally done we would have le
2 freak legislation. And as a matter {
e fact, not one of the twenty-six amen
e ments to the state constitution W;
k legally adopted, as any member of Il
state constitution convention know