The Record

FRICTION AMONG PROMINENT LEADERS

Old Line Republican Paper Sees Party In Bad Condition.
Objects to Boss Dictation.

That the republican convention at Twin Falls was not so harmonious as republican newspapers and politicians would have the public believe is indicated by the following taken from the Caldwell Tribune, one of the leading republican papers of south Idaho:

The men who stood out above the average in force, courage and ability, excepting here the one or two manipulators, were Col. Thos. R. Hamer, Lieutenant Governor Taylor and General Peterson. Col. Hamer, in an emergency, was called upon to take charge of and direct the convention. This he did. He responded with an address characteristic of him and forced the conviction for a while at least that this was a republican convention. He got the convention into running order and there was grave danger that the pot of beans might be upset. Col. Hamer stood out clear and distinct in that convention as the biggest, brainiest man there. Unhappily for him, unhappily for Idaho, the powers that be in Idaho, cannot use Col. Hamer in their politics and consequently the state loses the services of one of its greatest citizens. Perhaps at some time or other there will be a change in the control of Idaho politics. If such an event should take place Col. Hamer will be called upon again to serve the people of Idaho in positions of honor and trust.

Lieutenant Governor Taylor was notified by a committee that he could not get the republican nomination for governor and that he had better make way for Mr. Crum. The sentiment of the convention may be summed up thus: Crum ought to be the nominee; Senator D. W. Davis probably will be. Mr. Taylor refused point blank to get out of the way. He stated that he was in the field and would stay there until the last vote is counted. Mr. Taylor has strange, exotic ideas about politics in Idaho. He seems to think that any man has a right to participate in politics or even to stand for public office without the consent of anyone. Such rights are unknown. They are dreams and dreams that are already dreamed, at present not even furnishing exhilaration during their course nor relief after their passage.

We admire the courage Mr. Taylor showed when he told J. W. Hart to go jump in the lake. We fear that he has little chance of being nominated but he may help to kill the arrogance with which some Idaho politicians are at present affected. If he does, he will not have struck in vain.

General Peterson too showed courage. He went to Twin Falls under the impression that he was going to a republican convention. When he found out his error he placed the convention itself on record. He forced the admission that this was a convention called for the purpose of expediting the designs of certain Idaho politicians. His motion tore away the sham and left exposed to public gaze a grinning skeleton.

There is hope so long as such men as Hamer, Taylor and Peterson live and work. The republican party must be kept alive and going until a better day.