The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1918-08-08
STATE CAPITAL NEWS.
hepuDiicans and Democrats Fuse to
Offset NOnDartisans.


The Democratic war horses have
about given up hope of defeating the
Nonpartisan candidates in the Demo
cratic primaries. They will go on with
tnelr campaign, however, in an effort
10 prevent absorption Of their party.
While the only court to which the sub
Ject has been submitted has decided,
ON technical grounds, against the Dem
ocratlc chairman's claim that the leag-
uers could not go into the Democratic
primaries as Democrats, moral suas-
Ion viii be used TO induce any who are
not Democrats from voting as such
Their honor will be appealed to and
there will undoubtedly be Democratic
challengers on hand at every precinct
to dispute the right Of and Lacquer
who Is not Democrat participation.
The feeling of Democratic leaders
against the Nonpartisan league lead
erS and their effort to "steal the Dem
ocratlc party as they put 1t, is very
bitter They do not mince words in
condemning the league leaders, and
this is coupled with revival Of
charges of disloyalty.
Fusion i'm MinidOlxa.
In Minidoka county fusion ticket
has been named by Republicans and
Democrats to combat the Nonpartisan
league. The Republicans were given
two of the three county commission
ers. representative, assessor, treasurer
school superintendent and probate
judge, the Democrats the other posi-
tions excepting surveyor and attorney,
for which Republicans are to be nam
ed. This is purely q local contest,
however. and has no state significance,
although the bitter feeling among the
Democrats there against the Nonpar-
tisan league leaders, it is expected.
will be reflected in a marked Demo-
cratic vote for Republican state candi-
dates N case the leaguers carry off
the Democratic primaries.
The Democrats in the state house
are considerably worried over the de-
velopments in the Rexburg land sale.
This sale, and some Others was the
subject of criticism by Republican
newspapers for some time before pub
lie sentiment created pressure too
heavy for the Democratic land board
to withstand.
All the charges made have been
sustained by the reports laid before the
board. Aside from the report, it is
stated by a member of the board that
the state lost $4,000 as the result OF
alleged collision at the Rexberg sale
in addition to the cost of advertising
it. furthermore, it also develops that
the state lost $4,000 in the recent
Twin Falls sale, and there is similar
complaint about the Caldwell sale.
Making Goat of SmOOt.
Coupled with the developments il
the Rexberg matter is a move to GUS
Land Commissioner Smoot, who made
the sale, and in this connection it Ii
declared that the effort is to make {
goat of Smoot, since exposure hal
brought out a revelation not at al
flattering to the policies of the presen
state land board.
Governor Alexander and Attorne,
General Walters have not indicated
what course they will pun sue. Tina
divides the board, assuming they viii
vote APPROVAL as was the case of tn
Twin Falls and Caldwell sales, leav
ing the only republican member Of til
board, Miss Redfield, to decide the is
sue.
The prevailing opinion is that If
were not for the presence of a repuh
lican member on the board there woul'
} not have been much official action
but Miss Redfield has been quite EN-
phatic, although not ostentatiously Sc
) or in an advertising way, in her att
tude on land board matters. Tn
latest report was the deciding yot
would be taken on August 9th.
Why No Action Before?
; 1t is pointed out as peculiar ths
. the land board having been advise
of what had been going on at thes
} sales, no action had been taken befor'
Shoots actions, similar to those &
. Rexberg, were approved by the boart
so apparently there is reason fc
failure to take the matter up until
. was forced out by pressure.
State Auditor Van Deusen now tel
has been going on the past eigh
cen months but not word was spoke
not an action taken, until the otht
! day-after the public became arouse
Making a scape-goat of Smoot
part of the policy of the land boar
! in stigmatizing those who participate
in the sales, and the communities ge
orally, it is pointed out
The state appraised the land al
fixed it's own price, subject to al
intermediary percentage of increas
/ That was its upset price. Huma
nature always enters the bidding
acquire property as cheaply as po
sible, so the buyer cannot be co
demned for getting any property
cheaply as he can. The state sold
! under the same policies in force f
, at least eighteen months, which ga