Evening star., 1935-10-06


- cratic National Committee, in
tends to swing the entire weight Of
the New Deal against Senator Will
liam E. Borah in the latter's candi-
dacy for reelection to the United
States Senate in 1886 has struck most
Idaho residents as interesting but not
exceedingly important.
Borah supporters concede that large
allotments Of Federal money will have
their effect in some quarters, but they
argue that this effect will be not nearly
so large as Farley and State Demo-
cratic leaders anticipate
1t is believed that the campaign
will be between Senator Borah and
the present Governor, C. Ben Ross,
now serving his third term, and that
the personalities of the two men and
State considerations will have the
primary weight.
The Idaho electorate consists Of
three sharply defined groups.
First are the dyed-in-the- e-wool Re-
publicans. Second not so numerous
but more regular in their affiliation,
Is the regular Democratic strength.
Non-Affiliated Groups.
Third, and by far the largest sector,
are the voters who regard political
ties as Of no importance. They or
their forebears followed Bryan in 1896:
they we're out with Theodore Roose-
welt in 1912; they joined the Nom
Partisan League in 1916 and 1917;
when that league became full -fledged
party in 1920 they went with it and
made 1t for few brief years the Sec
ond party in the State-Democracy
suffering almost total extinction. They
joined La Fallette in 1924. In 1928
they rallied enthusiastically about the
Hoover banner, and in 1882 they de-
serted just as enthusiastically.
Senator Borah will command the
united support of the Republicans III
1886. Many leaders dislike Mr.. Bo-
rah's policies and methods, but they
have come to such a whole-hearted
reputation, both of the national ad-
ministration and of Gov. Ross, that
there can be no other choice for them.
In past elections Mr.. Borah has not
always had their support and has had
to make up his astounding majorities
from the independents and from the
large element among the Democrats
who have always admired him.
Democrats Dislike Ross.
The problem is more complex among
the Democrats. Most of the regulars
heartily dislike Gov. Ross; the feeling
against him is far stronger than
any Republican bitterness against
Senator Borah. They accuse him of
condemning the State organization,
of breaking every pledge he has ever
made, of attacking the New Deal,
of betraying the interests of the party
at every turn.
To offset this is the Ross control OF
the State machine through an un-
precedentedly large patronage list. He
has expended the State government
to an unheard-of degree, and every
appointment, no matter how humble,
is made by him personally. Persons
receiving employment on the c. w. A.
in the Fall Of 1888, for instance,
we're informed in writing that they
owed this Federal generosity to the
direct interposition of the Governor.
Added to this are the national elec-
tion and the desire of the regulars
to uphold the President. If Mr.. Roose-
welt wants Senator Borah defeated
many reluctantly will 60 with Gov.
Ross.
1t seems safe to predict, however,
that Mr.. Borah will make greater in
roads among the Democratic regulars
than Mr.. Ross among the Republican
regulars.
The result, however, hinges mainly
on where the independents will go.
Both Borah and Ross have had their
main strength In the past in this
group and, since their ambitions never
have collided before, it is difficult to
say which Is stronger there, save by
past election figures, which give Mr..
Borah the edge.
Perhaps the dominating factor will
be the popularity of New Deal policies
in this group at election time. There
Is a definite swing away from the
New Deal at present. How Tar this
has gone, or how long it may con-
tinue, is impossible to determine. The
main basis for this alienation of af-
fections is attributed to the feeling
that the Government is going too
far into debt.
Most Idahoans Own Property.
Most Idaho Independents are men
of some little property; laborers who
own their homes; farmers who have
substantial equities in their ranches.
There Is little urban proletariat in
the State, and the share e-cropper is
unknown. Every tenant farmer, and
there are nothing like as many Of
them as elsewhere, looks forward to
owning his ranch some day. They
have battled against high taxes and
high freight rates for many . long