The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1922-09-25
STATE CAMPAIGN
GAINS IMPETUS
BOISE WRITER TELLS OF CHARGES
AND COUNTER CHARGES-PRI-
MARY A FACTOR

MARY A FACIOK
Sundays Lewiston Tribune Unde.
pendent,) carries the following story
on the progress of the state political
campaign from Boise correspon-
dent:
The extent to which interest is be-
ing taken in the political campaign
that is being waged in Idaho is appar-
ent from the charges and counter
charges, the challenges and counter
challenges that are hurled back and
forth by candidates for gubernatorial
honors. Lieutenant-Governor Moore
republican candidate, was the first to
throw down the gauntlet. He chal-
lenged the democrats to prove the
often repeated assertion that the pres
ent state administration has been ex-
travagent or that it was costing the
people more than any previous ad-
ministration cost.
The democrats were quick to seize
upon the challenge to issue a counter
one inviting Moore to meet M. Alex
ander, democratic candidate, in a
joint debate AS yet the challenge
has not been accepted. Nor is it
likely to be, as the republicans look
upon the challenge as subterfuge
to attempt to draw into a public con-
troversy their candidate for governor.
The democrats are also ridiculing the
claim made by the republicans that
Moore is a farmer" and the farm
er's candidate for governor. Moore
owns a large ranch which he per-
ssonally supervises as to it's opera
tion He is also engaged in the real
estate business. The democrats say
that owning a farm and actually
farming it are two different and dis
tinct things.
COngressmen Back to State.
There is general expectation in re-
publican ranks over the return to the
state of the Idaho congressional dele
cation and the part that the mem
bers of that delegation will take in
the campaign Senators w. E. BOrah
and Frank E. Gooding together with
congressman Burton l.. French and
Addison T. Smith are expected home
next week They will be called upon
to meet the attack that the demo-
Gratis are making on the passage of
house bill No. II which President
Harding vetoed after vigorous pro-
tests were sent to Washington from
this state. This is the bill that the
department Of the Interior and the
forest service department approved
and sought to bring about the ex-
: change of Northern Pacific grant
lands, which are to be absorbed by
the forest service and included in ma
tional forests in lieu grazing lands
in southern Idaho upon which script
was to be issued and sold by the rail-
roads. A company was organized
backed by prominent sheepmen in
southern Idaho and arrangements
were made to place this script on
250,O00 acres of grazing lands in
southern Idaho. The direct charge
was made that this was deliberate
attempt at land monopoly on the
part of the few to the exclusion of
the many. Sheepmen lined up on
both sides of the issue. Crawford
Moore, president of the Boise City
National bank, and Scott Anderson,
both heavily engaged in the sheep
business led the attack on the bill.
Fred Gooding, James E. Clinton, Hugh
Sproat, president Of the Idaho Wool
Growers association, defended the
measure. Fred Gooding is a brother
of United States Senator Gooding.
The democrats and their speakers
are directly attacking the attempt |
made to pass this bill and are openly |
fighting Senator Gooding, Congress |
men French and Smith on that issue.
French and Smith are both candi-
dates for reelection. The democrats |
declare they are going to defeat them
and elect democrats in their places.
The fact that Senator Gooding has
announced his intention of returning
to Idaho following the adjournment
of congress to champion the tariff
bill and house bill No. II means that
the latter is to become mooted
issue before the present campaign
is many days older. The democrats
say they would like nothing better
than to 20 on the stump with Sena
tor Gooding on this particular issue.
BOrah in New Primary Fight.
In the meantime it seems to be
fairly we'll established that United
States Senator Borah will make a
fight for the enactment of direct
legislature The republican state
convention went on record for the
system, favoring, however,
the present Q1V1Qeu elecIlOn law ny
which state election law for the
nomination of state candidates is held
together with a primary election for
the nomination of county candidates
and candidates for the legislature
Candidates for the legislature will be
forced into the open for or against a
direct primary law and this will have
no little effect on the result of the
election That the primary is going
to be a real issue of the campaign is /
now conceded. It is onw an issue I
and will be made more SO by Senator
Borah. The claim is now being made {
that the republican candidates for l
all offices will accept the primary and
pledge their support for it. In that
event matters will be greatly simpli-
fled, say many party leaders.