340 



IDAHO. 



At the meeting of the convention on Aug. 24 

 the following State ticket was chosen : For Gov- 

 ernor, John M. Burke; Lieutenant-Governor, 

 Frank Harris ; Secretary of State, J. H. Wicker- 

 sham, Sr. ; State Treasurer, Phil Regan ; Audi- 

 tor, J. W. McClure; Attorney-General, W. T. 

 Reeves ; Superintendent of Instruction, J. W. 

 Farris ; Supreme Justice, F. E. Ensign ; for 

 Congressman, E. B. True. The platform adopt- 

 ed included the following propositions : 



That whatever of imports are of benefit to the agri- 

 cultural and laboring masses should be admitted with 

 the lowest duty possible to secure economical govern- 

 ment. 



We favor enactments, both State and national, for 

 the prevention of trusts and combines, and to insure 

 a free and fair competition in the regulation of prices 

 in all commodities. 



We denounce the policy of special governmental 

 protection to gold as a fraud upon labor, and in favor 

 of the nonproducing classes. 



We favor the free and unlimited coinage of silver, 

 and that the same be made a full and legal tender for 

 all debts, both private and public. 



We denounce the Kepublican legislation known as 

 the " Sherman act" of 1890 as a cowardly makeshift, 

 fraught with possibilities of danger in the future, 

 which should make all its supporters, as well as its 

 author, anxious for a speedy repeal. 



The State Convention of the People's party 

 met on May 26 and chose delegates to the na- 

 tional convention to be held in Omaha, July 4. 

 In the platform adopted the People's party an- 

 nounced itself as the protector of the " toiling 

 masses" against the alleged encroachments of 

 the rich, and against national and State legisla- 

 tion which, it says, for thirty years or more has 

 discriminated in favor of wealthy corporations. 

 Resolutions were passed which made the follow- 

 ing demands: 



That a national currency, safe, sound, and flexible, 

 issued by the General Government only, a full legal 

 tender for all debts, public and private, and that with- 

 out the use of banking corporations, a just, equitable, 

 and efficient means of distribution direct to the people, 

 at a tax not to exceed 2 per cent., be provided, as set 

 forth in the subtreasury plan of the Farmers' Alli- 

 ance, or some better system ; also by payments in dis- 

 charge of its obligations for public improvements. 



Free and unlimited coinage of silver. 



An amount of circulating medium not less than $50 

 per capita. 



A graduated income tax. 



That postal savings banks be established by the 

 Government. 



That all land now held, by railroads and other cor- 

 porations in excess of their actual needs, and all lands 

 now owned by aliens, should be reclaimed by the 

 Government and held for actual settlers only. 



That the telegraph and telephone, like the post- 

 office system, being a necessity for transmission of 

 news, should be owned and operated by the Govern- 

 ment. 



That the Constitution should be amended to the 

 end that the President, Vice-President, and United 

 States judges be elected by direct vote of the people. 



That we condemn the action of the authorities, both 

 State and Federal, in relation to the trouble now ex- 

 isting in Shoshone County between the mine owners 

 and miners, and that we extend our hearty sympathy 

 to the miners' union in their unequal struggle. 



That we favor the suppression of Chinese immigra- 

 tion. 



In August the party nominated the following 

 ticket : For Governor, A. J. Crook ; Lieutenant- 

 Governor, J. B. Wright ; Secretary of State, B. 



F. Chaney ; Treasurer, T. J. Sutton ; Auditor, J. 

 H.Anderson; Attorney-General, J. R. Wester; 

 Superintendent of Public Instruction, L. L. 

 Shearer. A platform was put forth which de- 

 manded that the veto power should be placed 

 with the people ; a board of arbitration to settle 

 difficulties between labor and capital; a repeal 

 of the lien law; legislation for the control of 

 immigration ; the holding of water rights to be 

 no longer in the hands of monopolists ; the free 

 and unlimited coinage of silver; and the State 

 Board of Equalization to have its duties defined 

 by law ; and trees, fences, crops, and fruits to be 

 exempt from taxation. 



The Republican State Convention met at Po- 

 catello on May 5. In the platform adopted the 

 policy of the Democrats in Congress was held re- 

 sponsible for the crippling of growth and indus- 

 try in the West, owing to its refusal to provide 

 for the survey of public lands. Reduction of the 

 tariff was opposed, and all legislation that fa- 

 vored one class at the expense of another. " The 

 Republican party to-day," it declared, " is con- 

 fronted with the alternative of restoring silver 

 to free and unlimited coinage or losing the re- 

 sults of protection." It was therefore resolved 

 that the delegates to Minneapolis be instructed 

 to confer with delegates from other silver States 

 in " order to make a bold, united effort in favor 

 of the white metal," iising " their utmost en- 

 deavors to secure a plank unequivocally pledg- 

 ing the party to its free and unlimited use." 



The ticket chosen in August was as follows : 

 For Governor, W. J. McConnell ; Lieutenant- 

 Governor, Frank B. Willis ; Secretary of State, 

 James F. Curtis ; Attorney-General, George M. 

 Parsons ; Auditor, Frank Ramsay ; Treasurer, 

 W. C. Hill ; Superintendent of Instruction, J. S. 

 Brandon ; Congressman, Willis Sweet. 



The platform urged " a free and unlimited 

 coinage of silver." A department of mines and 

 mining, to be created by Congress, was recom- 

 mended. Republicanism, as in its essence the 

 maintenance of law and the protection of free 

 labor, was pronounced the fundamental princi- 

 ple of the party then assembled. Measures for 

 the protection of labor against capital were urged. 

 " Protection as applied to agriculture, capital, and 

 labor " was pronounced as an unalterable policy 

 of the party. The platform further pledged it- 

 self to the most liberal means for advancing the 

 interests of the State at the Columbian Exposi- 

 tion. It called the attention of the National 

 Government to the unnecessary delay in the al- 

 lotting of lands of the Nez Perce Indian reserva- 

 tion. It promised to furnish the workingmen 

 with facilities for the safe deposit of their earn- 

 ings. It demanded the amendment of immigra- 

 tion laws, declaring that the naturalization of 

 inadmissible elements " degrades the wages of 

 labor, and endangers our institutions by the de- 

 basement and corruption of the suffrage " ; and it 

 demanded the amendment of the suffrage laws, 

 limiting the right to vote to those able'to read 

 the Constitution and to write their names. Gov. 

 Willey's action in enforcing the laws of the State 

 and restoring a feeling of security was approved, 

 as were the national platform at Minneapolis and 

 the administration of President Harrison. On 

 the Mormon question the following resolutions 

 were adopted : 



