The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1920-07-28
some VIEWS ON
STATE POLITICS
George Barker in Pend
o'Reille Review Dis
.cusses Politics

ludSmUCu As captain "A. II. conner
of this city is a candidate for the Re-
publican nomination for United
States senator, more than ordinary
interest is being manifested locally
in the Republican state convention
which convenes in Pocatello ON Aug
ust "a. Captain Conner is now in
southeastern Idaho and is making an
active canvass for delegates to the
state convention.
Captain Corners most formidable
opponent, 1t is agreed, is former Gov
ernor Frank R. Gooding, who, NOM
mated for the senate in the Repub-
lican primaries two years ago to fill
the late Senator Brady's unexpired
term, was defeated by narrow mar
gin by Senator Nugent, who with
Senator Borah, had the nonpartisan
league endorsement in that cam
paign. Governor Gooding is urging
his general acquaintance with the
state and his fight against the non-
partisan league in the last campaign
as elements of his strength. On the
other hand, it is being claimed that
the Washington wiseacres have look
ed over the situation in Idaho and de-
clared that Gooding cannot be elected
if nominated, and that Borah, taking
his tip from Washington, is not sup
porting Gooding. Those who take
the view that Borah is against Good
ing remember, however, that Borah
at the last moment in Brady's first
campaign before the legislature for
election as senator, came on from
Washington and disappointed several
favorite sons by getting on the Brady
bandwagon, when, by close inspec-
ton, he decided that Brady was too
formidable an antagonist to go up
against in Idaho. Gooding is strong
in the southeast, but it is impossible
for him to secure the southeastern
vote without the good wishes of John
w. Hart, national committeeman,
and Hart will determine the situa-
tion in the southeast only after Bor-
ah has indicated his preference.
Gooding's open bid for Borah's
support was evidenced at Chicago
when John Thomas, Republican state
chairman, who is Gooding's partner
in the banking business at Gooding,
voted as a delegate from Idaho at
the Chicago convention for Borah
for the presidential nomination.
Thomas thought by thus showing
Borah preference by appealing to
his vanity Borah would be duly i'm
pressed by Gooding's olive branch.
However, it is impossible to make
water and oil mix and impossible to
make Gooding and Borah sincere
friends since they look upon the non-
partisan league and kindred issues
from different angle. Gooding is
100 per cent American; Borah's rec
ord in congress does not come up
to Gooding's requirements of what
it ought to be. But Gooding has to
play politics and, like so many poll
ticians in Idaho who privately "cuss"
Borah for his attitude upon party
and public questions, he fears his
ability at speechmaking and is will
ing to appease
When the senatorial campaign
first started out, Gooding, and Col
onel Patch, who commanded the Ida
no boys across the water, were first
to announce their candidates.. Cap
tain Conner and Captain Davis of
Boise followed. To Conner was CIV
en- a clear field in the north until
G. w. Beale, a Wallace attorney,
stepped in with a resolution from
Shoshone county supporting his can
didacy. Other contestants in the
fight do mot consider
Beale's candidacy as having strength
in any part of the state outside of
Shoshone, but the southern candi-
dates welcomed Beale in, for they
that Beale's candidacy has
broken up the solid north" for Con-
ner.
A new element in the contest came
in recently with the announcement
hat Miles Cannon, who has been
having first-class Kilkenny cat row
with the elevator men and charging
hem with price-fixing of wheat, will
become a candidate with his special
appeal for farmers votes. Cannon is
1T the head of the state farm mar