Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1922-10-19
BORAH URGES
PRIMARY LAW
SENIOR SENATOR OF IDAHO Is
MAKING CAMPAIGN FOR STATE
DIRECT PRIMARY LAW.
RUPTION In PARTY THREATENED
Tense Situation OF Last Week Now
Being Rapidly Relieved.

mary law and according to a letter
received by the Herald this week from
Bartlett Sinclair, at Boise, Senator
Borah plans to speak in Boundary
county and the probable date for the
meeting is October 27
What is called the Republican Pri-
mary League was organized in Boise
ON Monday for the purpose of sup
porting Senator Borah in his cam
paign for state direct primary law
Crowds taxing the capacity of the
halls in which the meetings have been
held, have greeted Borah in the towns
in which he has spoken. In his atti-
tude concerning the state direct pri
mary Senator Borah and the repub-
lican state central committee have
come to an open break In his speech
at Meridian, Idaho, on Monday night,
October g. when he began his cam
paign. Senator Borah attacked the
convention system of party direction
and said it was a respectable institu-
tion so years ago but that il had de-
generated into an organization of ma
chimes whereby per cent of the peo-
pie controlled S5 per cent of the polit
ical power. He declared that govern
ment under the convention system
was just as autocratic as the govern
ment in Russia" and that "if the
American people want to trust their
affairs to the hands of few men. the
convention system does it for them"
He predicted that if the convention
system was retained it would soon be
impossible for a man 10 file as an in
dependent candidate under the law
and that the voter would then have
the choice of turning to either party's
ticket or staying home. He laid 10 the
convention system the voters apathy
which is tending more and more. he
said. to keep they away from the
polls
He assailed the state republican
platform as not constructive saying
Charley Moore should adopt plat
form Of his own and that General
Peterson, who wanted a blink deposit
guarantee plank at Wallace, is cam
paigning for the guarantee just the
same" He also said Senator Gooding
had recently declared in favor of a
bank deposit guarantee law.
AS an outcome of Senator Borah's
speech at Meridian and his demands
that the state central committee re-
flute the party platform plank calling
for a county primary and state con-
vention system, State Chairman Nash
called a meeting of the state central
committeeman Sunday night at Boise
to discuss the Borah situation and to
determine upon a course to persue
AT this meeting several speakers eulo-
gized Borah and spoke in his behalf.
Other speakers declared there was no
choice to make, Mat the people of the
party themselves participated in the
election of the delegates to the Wal
lace convention, that all factions. par
ticularly the followers of Senator
BOrah, were given all the time they
wanted for discussion of the issues.
that never in the history of the party
in Idaho had there been a more omen
convention with more hard-fought
battles on the floor And they pointed
out that the state committee would
be usurping powers and smirching the
honor of the party if it acceded to
Senator Borah's request
Finally the following resolution was
unanimously adopted:
I'VE believe the people can govern
effectively only through the instru-
mentality of a party organization.
Notwithstanding the attitude of Sena-
tor Borah, we hold a platform adopted
by political party to be a solemn and
binding obligation placed by the mem
bers of the party upon their nominees.
I'VE, therefore, approve the position
of our candidates in standing square
ly upon the republican platform
adopted at the Wallace convention.
and we commend State Chairman
Nash for his conduct of the campaign
upon which we believe to be the i'm
mediate and paramount issue before
the people of this state, the election
of Charles C. Moore and the other re-
publican candidates as opposed to
that of Moses Alexander or H. f. Sam
uels and the other democratic or pro-
gressive candidates"
An interview given out by Senator
Borah at Grangeville a few days ago
is to large degree contradictory of
the press reports of his stand early
last week and clears up the situation
in the republican ranks to great ex-
tent. Senator Borah, at Grangeville
is credited with having said:
THE sole issue over which the con-
troversy has arisen is, if the people of
the state manifest their desire to have
a state primary law by electing
legislature which passes such a meas
ure.will Mr.: Moore, republican nomi-
nee for the governorship, reflect the
wishes of the people and sign the bill?
The position in which the committee
seeks to place Mr.. Moore is that of
opposing the will of the people as it
shall be expressed through the legis-
lature. | have not asked Mr.. Moore
or the committee to declare in favor
of a primary law, but l have urged
that both Mr.. Moore and the commit
tee respect the will of the people as
it may be manifested through their
legislature If the ,oaon1e Of the state