The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1923-04-27
PRESIDENT MAY
TALK PRIMARY
ON IDAHO TRIP
Harding Program Caus-
ing CONSERVATION in
Primary Ranks; Situa-
ton Is Analysed.

Boise.-Rumors that President Har-
ding upon his trip west this summer
may discuss direct political issues ap-
pear TO have caused some little con-
Germ among the advocates of the direct
primary system in Idaho. President
Harding is known to be an advocate
of the representative form of govern
ment. commonly known as the con-
yention system, now in effect in Idaho.
His championship of that principle in
this state would cause no little uneas-
mess among those who have sought
to make the primary issue paramount
to the big economic problems which
are facing Idaho producers.
There has never been any real de-
mand from the great majority of the
people of Idaho for a return to the di-
rect primary law which proved so dis
astrous to one of the two great parties
four years ago and nearly landed in
Office the nonpartisan league caEdi-
dates. Agitation for the primary as
the big issue in Idaho has been kept
alive by small coterie in the capital
city which was not in direct torch
with the sentiment of the great mass
OF the people. This agitation has be-
come augmented by biased newspaper
correspondents and some federal Of
fee holders Canvass OF the situation
among the farmers. the business and
industrial workers shows little inter
est in this issue. The typical answer |
from the Idaho farmer when asked il |
he considers the primary as the big
issue is 81 should say notl What we
are interested in is getting a market
for our crops, getting the crops to
market and getting a good price 'or
them. cutting down public expense and
getting back on our feet"
Vote Doesn't Mean Primary
The stock argument of those who
are seeking to divide the Republican
party over the primary issue is that
the combined vote of the Democratic
and Progressive parties in the las.
election was some $1,000 while the vote
OF the Republican party was only 5O,-
000 AS both the Democrats and Pro-
gressives had planks in their plat
forms declaring for the primary this
vote is Interpreted as 1900 for the d.
rect primary. Analysis of the votes
cast for the various candidates does
not bear out this contention. The
heaviest vote polled by the Progress
ives was in the agricultural counties.
Here the campaign of that party was
not based upon the primary issue but
rather upon economic conditions.
Farmers found themselves with large
crops of potatoes and other products
on their hands and dead market.
They saw little hope of pulling out
with the market conditions against
them. The Progressives were quick
to capitalize this situation, against the
party then in power, and Samuels'
their candidate for governor, offered rs
a solution a proposed moratorium on
all farm loans. The situation was not
one in which any political party was
TO blame but was purely economic.
The farmers, hard pressed, saw IN the
promises of the Progressivcs what ap-
peared to be some hope of relief and
many of them voted for Samuels.
Needless to say, the situation could not
have been rcmeded had he been elect
ed but his promises were alluring. his
$1,000 votes were not votes Tor the
primary. As one man in southeast
Idaho put it, "The price of spuds gave
Samuels his votes. 1t was not the
primary issue. We never heard OF
that"
The Democratic campaign was not
based upon the primary issue. Their
candidate for governor confined NM
self TO attacks upon the cabinet sys-
tenn of government and the Republi-
can partys conduct OF state AFFAIRS
The Republican campaign was not
upon the primary issue. The candidate
for governor stood upon the party
platform and was elected. There was
an effort upon the part OF some ke-
publicans headed by the Direct pri-
mary league, formed in Ada county
to make the primary an issue but II
failed. II is a significant fact that IN
Ada county. to which is confined prae-