Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1921-07-30
CHAPTER XXI

AAAl
The political campaign of 1906
opened by the nomination of William
jennings Bryan for president and
Adlai Il. Stevenson for v~ice-presi-
dent by the Democratic, Populist
and Silver Republican national con,
ventions, and that of William Nc
Kinley and Theodore Roosevelt by
the national Republican convention
The free and unlimited coinage OF
silver in the ratio of 16 to / being
one of the main issues, and being
in the platforms Of the Democratic,
PopuIist and Silver Republican par
ties, the same old enthusiasm in the
cause of the royal white metal pre-
vailed generally throughout Gilmore
county.
In the national Silver Republican
convention, held at Kansas City, Ell
more county was honored by the Sc
lection of Mrs. J. M. Cowen, Roscoe
w. Smith and Arthur Davis as three
of the delegates from the State OF
Idaho to that body.
Owing to the fact that Governor
Steunenberg had placed Shoshone
county under martial law after the
dynamiting of the Bunker Hill mill
at Wardner, as well as causing owe
a thousand miners to be imprisoned
in the stockade at Wardner known
as the Idaho bull pen" and there
guarded by negro troops, the Idaho
Democracy became dividdd into two
factions-the SteunenbeTg wing,
known as the Boxers and the anti
Steunenbrg wing, known as the by
namiters.'' Each of the factions
made a desperate effort to capture
the state convention. The first
Democratic state convention was
held in Lewiston in June. 1.-Two del
egations claimed seats. In this body
the Steunenberg wing, or Boxers,
prevailed and seated the Boxer dele
CATION from that county. e. M
Wolfe OF Gilmore county became the
chairman of the convention, and by
it was made national committeeman
for the State OF Idaho.
On July III following the Demo
cratic. Populist and Silver Repubi-
can state conventions met at Poca-
tello, In the Democratic convention
Elmore county was represented by
Hon. X. I. Perky, G. M. Payne, DR..
B. B. Swan, J.. A.. Nicholson and
John Boyle Or. p. Chattin proxy.
The complexion of the delegation
was strongly anti-Steunenberg, or
Dynamite"
On the opening of the convention
the antis scored a victory by the
election of Hon. K. /, Perky as tenn
porary chairman, and then by the
seating OF the Dynamite delegation
from Shoshone county, led by Col.
w. w. Woods. The antis now had
full control, and VIM. IL. Watt OF
HALEY was made permanent chair
man.
Capt. Frank w. Hunt, a miner
from Gibbonsville, who had served
with distinction in the First Idaho
In the Philippines, was placed at
the head of the Democratic state
ticket as the candidate for governor,
seconded by Captain James Graham
of Kootenai county, another gallant
soldier Of the First Idaho as nominee
for congress.
Hon. X. T.. Perky was elected
chairman of the state central and
executive committee, and Miss Mabel
l.. Payne and DIR. b. b. Swan We're
appointed as members OF the state
central committee from Gilmore
county.
Arthur Davis led the Silver Repub-
lican delegation from Gilmore county
and was a conspicuous member OF
that convention. The proceedings OF
that body were harmonious through
out-"Dubois for Senator" being
their slogan, and they proclaimed IT
in the cry. of "Rah, rah, rah! Fred
Dubois; he's the Silver Peoples
choice"
James O'Neill, A. M. Sinnott and
owen o. Boyle comprised the Gilmore
delegation to the Populist conven-
ton. In this body Judge A. ID. Nc
Kinlev of Shoshone county became
secretary. This body was unani-
mously and radically antl-Steunen-
berg-Shoshone county sending a
a number OF ex-prisoners of the bull
pen to the convention. In addition
TO the regular convention badge, ev-
ery Populist delegate wore 1.-THE bull
pen button"-a lapel button bearing
a picture OF a white miner with his
hands tied behind him being driven
by two negro soldiers with fixed
bayonets into a stockade, with the
words: Remember the Bull Pen"
over the picture and 1880" under
1t. =.
Al union of the Democratic and
silver Republican forces was ae-
complished, but the Democratic con-
vention, by a small majority, refus-
ing to pass a resolution condemning
Steunenberg's administration OF
martial law, the permit system and