The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1917-02-16
Capital Correspondence


alton of Agriculture. The meeting
of this organization was a live wire
from the beginning. 1t was made
up of bona fide farmers, horny
handed sons of toll, if you please.
1t was no kid glove crowd. 1t was
composed of men tremendously in
earnest. The membership on the
grounds of intelligence would pass
inspection anywhere.
A man hat been brought from
North Dakota, Secretary Ray Nc
Kaig by name, to talk up the North
Dakota plan Of a Non-partisan
League of farmers. He made good
but proved veritable fire brand.
He not only aroused enthusiasm
but carried the farmers off their
feet in causing them to resolve to
call upon the Governor in a body.
But wiser counsels prevailed and it
was thought best that instead of
the Mountain going to Mahomet it
would be better to invite Mahomet
to come to the Mountain and it was
done.
1t seems that the Governor had
made certain predictions to the
farmers that he was, not likely to
keep and the farmers wanted to
know why certain things were thus;
so a resolution was introduced and
passed permitting the Governor to
come before the Federation to offer
such explanations as he might be
able to conjure up. The matter of
inviting the Governor to appear the
next day at ten o'clock was finally
placed in the hands of committee.
This committee on sober second
thought, deemed it unwise to do
things in Idaho as they do them in
North Dakota. After the lurid at
mosphere. engendered by the heat
ed discussion, cooled off the invita-
tion was not extended to the Gov
ernor. This was wise as the accusa-
tions were of a rather circumstan-
tial character and from which the
Governor could easily extricate
himself by placing the blame on
the other fellow as he has done and
can so conveniently do again.
The next day was all serene and
the usual business proceeded. That
the Federation will do some valu-
able things for the farming COM
munity all are ready to admit but
we saw no one in the audience who
seemed able to direct the fiery
energy of this heretofore sleeping
giant into right channels whereby
the greatest good might be accom-
plished. 1t was clearly evident
however, that the North Dakota
plan of organizing the farmers into
a non-partisan league that the
farmer might come into his own
would be adopted. North Dakota
literature was freely distributed.
This literature was intended to
show what farmers are doing for
themselves. We give a sample
quotation from the "Non-partisan
Leader" published at Fargo: "The
most important piece of legislation
ever before a North Dakota Legis'
lature passed the House of Repre-
sentatives, at Bismark, Jrnuary &c
and is now up to the Senate. 1t i:
House Bill No. A., a bill to submit
to the people at an election next
June a new constitution carrying
out the program of the Non-parti
san League and giving to NORTH
Dakota the best basic law any state
ever had"
The Federation of this state can
not understand why Idaho shoulo
not profit by the action of Nortl
Dakota and there seems to be nj
good reason why the farmer shou)t
not become a greater factor in thi
state than he really is. The onl.
thing we can see that is lacking i
a Moses to lead him.
Legislative matters have beel
rather quiet this week. The stat
division bill is not yet ready for &C
'tion and is quietly slumbering
The resolution recently intr oduce
in the Washington Legislature unit
ing eastern Washington and north
ern Idaho into state has given tn
members from the north create
confidence. The Mormon infiuenc
in the south may be sufficient t
carry the matter of state divisio
through. Should the division occu
Idaho would be a Mormon state an
that is the main reason why tn
south needs the north. Many pei
lple in Boise are patiently waitin
to see what will come to pass whe
the resolution comes up for di
cussion.