Salt Lake Tribune | 1918-08-18 | Page 5 | Nugent and Hawley in Spirited Contest

IIEI 10 HAWLEY II SPIflSTI CONTEST Both Striving for Short-term Short-term Senatorial Nomina- ' tion in Gem State. Special to Tlie Tribune. , BOISU, Idaho, Aug. 17. The Nugent-Hawley Nugent-Hawley primary contest for the short-term short-term senatorial nomination is now on. Unusually strong pressure'was brought to bear on Hawley to keep him out of the race. Fred T. Dubois, former state senator, sena-tor, now with the war ordnance department, depart-ment, one of the best-paid federal officials, offi-cials, visited Idaho in connection with the matter. lie openly announced ' that the administration at Washington desired the renomtnation and re-election of Senator Nugent. To this JIawley and his followers took exception. They contended that the administration ad-ministration would not be so outspoken in a matter of this kind and that even If true Washington had no right to interfere with Idaho politics. At one time, it is claimed, an agreement had virtually been reached that Hawley would give way to Nugent. No agreement apparently could bo reached, however, because Hawley filed an acceptance of his nomination within the time limit and the contest for short-term short-term senator was on. Each lias a strong following in the party. Tho second serious conflict which confronts con-fronts that party is over the governorship. governor-ship. Democrats seem to be as evenly divided over this issue as over the scn-atorship. scn-atorship. Dissatisfied with K. A. Van Sicklin, who got into the race early, every effort was made, to have him step aside for some candidate upon whom all Democrats could agree. Van Sicklin, however, insisted on remaining. The dissatisfied faction thereupon brought out Frank Martin, who has the support of many of the leaders. .Mr. Martin is a prominent attornev of Boise. He served during the first term of Governor Steunenberg as attorney gen-eraj gen-eraj of the state. The slate administration, administra-tion, a,s now constructed, is back of him and will use every honorable means to bring about his nomination, it is claimed. He is uncompromisingly against the Nonpartisan Non-partisan league, in its invasion of the Pcmoeratic party and wii! wage a hard htrht to oonvince a sufficient number of Democrats that he should to nominated over both Van Sicklin and Samuels, the latter a Nonpartisan (league candidate. Those Democrats who classify themselves them-selves as "slmon pure" have organized the Jeffersonian club, the object of which. ia to "preserve the integrity" of the party, which can best be brought about through the nomination and election of Frank Martin for governor; T. G. Wilson, lieutenant lieu-tenant governor; W. T. Dougherty, secretary secre-tary of state; Clarence Van Deusen, auditor; audi-tor; T. A. Walters, attorney general, and E. L. Parker, state treasurer. Harvey Allred, state director of the farm market bureau, is president of the club, and M. C. Stott, register of the state land board, is secretary. These two officers, together with C. O. Broxon, state insurance insur-ance manager: W. R. Hyatt, stale Insurance Insur-ance commissioner; James R. Bothwell, former judge of the Fourth judicial district dis-trict court; S. O. Tannahill of Lewiston and Thomas Buckner of Caldwell, form the executive committee. By indorsing Frank Martin and pledging to work for his interest, the club is looked upon by the friends of E. A. Van Sicklin, also a Democratic candidate for governor, as anti-Van Sicklin, and they purpose to fight its influence. It is purposed to extend ex-tend the membership so that it will be state-wide. At the same meeting the or ganization was perfected it was decided to ask Van Sicklin to step aside as a candidate can-didate for governor, and a telegraphic request re-quest to that effect was sent him. Van Sicklin refused to do so. declaring1 he was in the race to the finish and expected ex-pected to be nominated. By throwing his hat into the ring at the last moment, Robert M. MoCracken gave Republican party leaders something to think about. MoCracken was nominated nomi-nated for governor just before nominations closed down. He accepted just before ttie time elapsed for doing so. His action makes a three-cornered race for governor, D. W. Davis of American Falls and Samuel Sam-uel P. Atherton of American Falls being the other two candidates.' McCracken served one term in congress, when he was succeeded by Burton T... French, present congressman. Jike Davis, Da-vis, McCracken will not attempt a .speech-making .speech-making campaign.. Atherton has already-been already-been over the state, and Davis made a thorough campaign two years ago in the general election when he was defeated. Atherton was a member of the sena;c In the last legislature and prior to that time was little known over the state. "