USA > Idaho > History of Idaho, the gem of the mountains, Volume I > Part 24
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WILLEY'S ADMINISTRATION
Norman B. Willey was born at Guilford, N. Y., March 25, 1838. He was educated at the Delaware Literary Institute, Franklin, N. Y., and in the fall of 1858 went to California. In the spring of 1864 he came to Idaho and during the territorial era held various county offices. The first republican state convention, which convened at Boise on August 20, 1890, nominated him for lieutenant-governor and he was elected along with the rest of the republican candidates. When Governor Shoup resigned on December 19, 1890, to enter the United States Senate, Mr. Willey, by virtue of his office as lieutenant- governor, became governor of the state. This office he held until January I, 1893, when he was succeeded by W. J. McConnell. He then went to Blue
225
ยท HISTORY OF IDAHO
Canyon, Calif., to accept a position as mine superintendent. On March 10, 1913, Governor Haines approved an act of the Idaho Legislature appropriat- ing $1,200, or so much thereof as might be necessary, to pay Mr. Willey at the rate of $50 per month while he lived, or until the appropriation was ex- hausted, the payments to begin on January 1, 1913. The reason for this appro- priation, as set forth in the act, was that a former governor of Idaho was in failing health at Blue Canyon, Calif., and the action was taken by the Legis- lature merely as a matter of gratitude.
Through the resignation of Governor Shoup and the induction of Mr. Willey into the office of governor, it fell to the latter to approve the bills passed by the first Legislature. One of the most important of these was the act adopting the Australian ballot system, to apply to all elections except those of school districts. In connection with the election law was a registration law and the restrictions placed upon voters by previous legislation were continued. An- other act fixed the annual liquor license fee at $500 in all places where the total vote for governor in 1890 exceeded 150; $300 in other places, except in taverns three miles or more from a village, where the fee was placed at $100. Aliens were prohibited from acquiring or holding lands in the state, except mining lands, unless such real estate was acquired by inheritance or by a lien or judgment for debt. The first day of May in each year was de- clared to be "Arbor Day" and the authorities in each school district were directed to assemble the children of the district, conduct exercises to encourage tree planting, and give instructions as to the best methods for protecting and caring for trees and shrubs. An appropriation of $35,000 was made for the purpose of restoring the insane asylum buildings at Blackfoot, and another appropriation of $20,000 for an exhibit at the Columbian Exposition at Chicago. The school laws were revised to make the public school system conform to the requirements of the state constitution. Three new counties-Alta, Canyon and Lincoln-were created; eight hours were declared to constitute a day's work; the killing of moose in the state was prohibited for six years; an appro- priation of $3,000 was made to care for the blind, deaf and dumb in the institu- tions of other states; and a resolution urging an amendment to the Federal constitution authorizing the election of United States senators by a direct vote of the people was adopted.
THE STATE SEAL
Early in the session a joint committee of the House and Senate was ap- pointed to solicit and receive drawings, from which a suitable design for a state seal might be selected. The design submitted by Miss Emma Edwards won the choice, but it was not formally adopted by an act of the Legislature until 1899. Miss Edwards, a daughter of Governor John C. Edwards, of Mis- souri, was visiting friends in Boise at the time the first Legislature was convened. Her own account of how she came to select the successful design for the seal, probably the only state seal in the United States designed by a woman, is as follows :
"I said to myself that the seal must represent the principal things of the state, must suggest our hopes for the future, and must depict not only the , material side of our growth, but also the ethical. Many times during my girl-
Vol. 1-15
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hood years, my father, who was a deep thinker and looked beyond the present, said to me: 'Women are going to do great things; women will be given power. Daughter, prepare yourself for coming responsibilities.' So I determined that in my seal there should be a woman as well as a man. In stature she should be almost, but not quite the equal of the man, so that she might still look up to him; she should be of heroic build, strong of arm and deep of chest, physically fit to be the mother of a conquering race; her body, unhampered by her garb, should carry forth the thought that her mental grasp and vision should like- wise not be limited by false precedents and conventions; she should stand near the man, the two linked by the shield on which was pictured the state, their common interest, but her gaze should not be directed toward him; rather both should look outward, forward, perceiving the limitless possibilities of future years. By these thoughts was my pencil guided.
"At her feet I placed the syringa, the state flower. The syringa grows wild in our Idaho mountains, where its roots bravely cling to the rocks and jutting crags, and its pure, waxen blossoms are gently swayed by the breeze and kissed by the sun. It loves the clear air and the sunlight and will work to win them. Back of our mountain cabin a syringa is growing among a clump of trees that overshadowed it. Steadily it climbed, becoming vinelike in its growth, until it had forced its way beyond the shadows and had over and around it the un- obstructed blue of the heavens. So I placed the syringa at the feet of my 'Lady of the Seal,' as the flower both of our state and of our womanhood. In her right hand is the spear which bears aloft the cap of Liberty, and in her left the scales of justice. Near her, growing shoulder high, is the golden wheat which shall nourish the coming generations.
"The man typifies the courage, the strength and the keen, clear judgment which have wrested our beautiful state from the roving savage and from the barrenness imposed by Nature, and which have unbarred the gates guarding her mighty resources. He is shown as a miner in honor of those sturdy pioneers through whose instrumentality Idaho took her first steps in development. With pick on shoulder and shovel in hand, he stands near the ledge of ore, from whose counterparts such enormous wealth has been and is still being freed.
"On the shield is a range of mountains and flowing from it a stream, which is a tribute to the Snake River and its many branches whose waters make pos- sible Idaho's dream of fruition. On the left, in the foreground, is the husband- man, and behind him, on the mountain slope, the quartz mill which has released from their rocky bands the precious products of the hills. To the right and on the opposite side of the stream is the pine tree, figuring the great timber resources of the state. Behind all is the rising sun heralding with the splendor of early dawn Idaho's long day of prosperity and progress.
"Below the shield is a sheaf of grain and on either side of it are the horns of plenty overflowing with fruit, all foretelling the reign of agriculture and horticulture which, even in those days, we knew must come to Idaho. Above the shield, in recognition of the wild game with which Nature had so lavishly supplied our mountains, forests and streams, I placed the head of an elk, against the extinction of which our lawmakers had guarded by protective laws.
"On the outer margin is the inscription that this is the Great Seal of the State, and near the lower edge is the star of Idaho, which had so recently been
ESTO
PERPETUA
SEAL OF IDAHO
-
a
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HISTORY OF IDAHO
added to the national galaxy. Above the figures is a scroll bearing the words 'Esto Perpetua,' which breathe the prayer that the bounty and blessings of this land may forever benefit its people."
The above description explains in detail the symbolism of the various parts of the seal, showing their appropriateness to the history and industries of Idaho. Miss Edwards afterward became the wife of J. G. Green, of Boise.
Late in June, 1891, the Supreme Court of the state rendered a decision declaring the act of 1891, creating the counties of Alta and Lincoln of the counties of Alturas and Logan, to be unconstitutional, on the ground that the state constitution forbids the division of a county and the annexation of any part thereof to another without a vote of the people residing in the portion to be detached.
POLITICAL CAMPAIGN OF 1892
In 1892 Idaho, for the first time in her history, participated in the election of a President of the United States. On August 18, 1892, a republican state convention assembled at Moscow and was in session for two days. James M. Shoup was elected chairman and J. A. Beal was chosen secretary. Weldon B. Heyburn, James H. Richards and Julius S. Waters were nominated for pres- idential electors; Willis Sweet, of Moscow, was renominated for Congress; Wil- liam J. McConnell, of Moscow, governor; Frank B. Willis, of Challis, lieutenant- governor; James F. Curtis, of Boise, secretary of state; Frank C. Ramsey, of Pocatello, state auditor ; William C. Hill, of Shoshone, state treasurer; George M. Parsons, of Hailey, attorney-general; B. B. Lower, of Silver City, superin- tendent of public instruction ; I. N. Sullivan, of Hailey, justice of the Supreme Court.
The platform declared in favor of the free and unlimited coinage of silver. the creation of a Federal department of mines and mining, the protection of labor and capital, prompt action on the part of the Federal authorities in alloting lands in the Nez Perce Indian reservation, amendments to the immigration laws so as to keep out undesirable persons, and denouncing the democrats for crip- pling the industries of the western states.
The people's party, or "populists," as they were commonly called, were at this time particularly active in a number of the western states. On the same day that the republican convention met at Moscow a populist convention as- sembled at Boise. Alexander Womersly, John S. McCain and Silas D. Strong were named for presidential electors; James Gunn, of Bellevue, for representa- tive in Congress, and the following candidates for the various state offices were nominated:, Abraham J. Crook, governor; James B. Wright, lieutenant-gov- ernor; Benjamin F. Chaney, secretary of state; James H. Anderson, state auditor ; Thomas J. Sutton, state treasurer ; John R. Westen, attorney-general ; Leighton L. Shearer, superintendent of public instruction.
On August 24, 1892, a democratic state convention met in Boise and was organized by the election of Philip Tillinghast as chairman and James H. Wick- ersham as secretary. James W. Eden, George V. Bryan and James W. Reid were nominated for presidential electors, and Edward B. True was nominated for representative in Congress. For the state offices, John M. Burke, of Coeur d'Alene, was named for governor; Frank Harris, of Weiser, for lieutentant-
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governor; James H. Wickersham, of Boise, for secretary of state; Philip A. Regan, of Boise, for state treasurer; William J. McClure, of Rathdrum, for state auditor; William T. Reeves, of Boise, for attorney-general; John W. Faris, of Pocatello, for superintendent of public instruction ; Francis E. Ensign, of Hailey, for justice of the Supreme Court. Like the republicans, the con- vention declared in favor of the free and unlimited coinage of silver, and they also declared in favor of a number of reforms in the management of state affairs.
A fourth ticket was placed in the field on the last day of August by a pro- hibitionist convention, which met at Boise. Joseph A. Clark was chosen chair- man and James A. Shoemaker acted as secretary. William P. Holly, William L. Pierson and Noah C. Price were named for presidential electors; Eugene R. Headley, for Congress; Joseph A. Clark, for governor; Moses F. Fowler, for' lieutenant-governor; Isaac S. Hicks, for secretary of state; John W. W. Polson, for state auditor; Charles W. Ramsey, for state treasurer; Silas D. Condit, for superintendent of public instruction ; Thomas W. Stewart, for justice of the Supreme Court.
After the above conventions had all been held, the democrats and populists effected a fusion, so far as the presidential electors were concerned, the demo- cratic electors withdrawing at the request of the party's national committee and the names of the people's party electors being placed on the democratic ticket. In the meantime John S. McCain, one of the nominees for elector, had de- clined and D. R. Monroe was selected to fill the vacancy.
At the election, which was held on November 8, 1892, the entire republican state ticket was elected by pluralities varying from a few hundred to 1,409. The vote for governor was as follows: McConnell, 8,138; Burke, 6,769; Crook, 4,865; Clark, 264. Through the coalition of the democrats and populists on the presidential ticket, the populists were victorious, their electors receiving 10,520 votes to 8,599 for the republicans and 288 for the prohibitionists.
McCONNELL'S ADMINISTRATION
William J. McConnell, third governor of the State of Idaho, was born at Commerce, Mich., September 18, 1839. He received an academic education in his native state and in 1860 went to California. Two years later he went to Oregon and in 1863 walked from that state to Idaho a few months after the territory was organized. From 1865 to 1867 he was a deputy United States marshal and at the end of that time he returned to Oregon. Although but a young man at the time, he saw that the opportunities in farming in the new country were excellent and, in conjunction with two others, squatted upon a fine section of arable land above Horseshoe Bend, on the Payette River and near what is now known as the Jerusalem settlement. With these other per- sons he there built the first irrigating ditch in Idaho, with the exception of those that had been started in Franklin by the settlers there in 1860, herein- before mentioned. In the succeeding summer of 1864 McConnell drove a pack train over the mountains between his ranch and Placerville and disposed of the vegetables he had raised at fabulous prices, realizing at first seventy-five cents a pound for the most ordinary kinds. Nothing could have afforded the miners who had passed the winter on the creeks and in the gulches of Boise County
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greater satisfaction than vegetables of any kind, as nothing of the sort had been brought into the Basin and canned vegetables and fruits, now so plentiful, at that time were absolutely unknown.
McConnell's career as a farmer ended in 1864, when he was appointed deputy United States marshal for Idaho, in which capacity he acted for several years, then returned to California, where he was engaged in stock raising for five years. Returning to Idaho, however, after the great farming section of Latah County was opened up, he engaged in the mercantile business in Moscow on an ex- tended scale and so continued until his election as governor.
Mr. McConnell was a prominent member of the Constitutional Convention of 1889 and was elected United States senator for the short term by the first Legislature of the state. Nominated and elected governor in 1892, he was re- elected in 1894. He retired from the mercantile business while occupying the position of governor and upon leaving that office was appointed as an officer in the Indian department, a position which he still occupies.
Governor McConnell is the author of a history of Idaho which contains many interesting chapters upon early events. He has always been a prominent factor in political and public matters of all kinds in the community wherein he has resided and in remarkable degree has the respect and good will of the people of the state, irrespective of their political affiliations. Hon. William E. Borah, who for many years past has been and still is a United States senator from Idaho, married Governor McConnell's eldest daughter.
This sturdy pioneer is one of the links that still connect the State of Idaho with the early events of the territorial days and it is hoped that he will long continue to enjoy life in a state in the creation of which he was one of the most active factors.
SECOND LEGISLATURE
The second session of the State Legislature met at Boise on January 2, 1893, and continued until the 6th of March. Lieutenant-Governor Frank B. Willis presided over the Senate and David T. Miller, of Ada County, was elected speaker of the House.
During the session there was more or less friction between the governor and certain minority members of the Legislature. The democrats and popu- lists, by joining their strength in the Senate, were powerful enough to obstruct legislation and defeat the passage of several important measures. The state tax levy of 85 cents on each one hundred dollars' worth of property, which was fixed by the first Legislature, had produced a surplus of funds in the state treasury. There was no law then in force authorizing the investment of such funds, and a bill was introduced to reduce the levy to 65 cents. This was one of the bills held back, which resulted in some caustic criticism of the demo- crats and populists, especially by the opposition newspapers, but the senators probably proceeded on the theory that "all is fair in war or politics."
Another bill which failed to become a law on account of this combination was one which provided for a reapportionment of the members of the Legis- lature. Governor McConnell withheld his signature from a bill reducing the liquor license from $500 to $300 in the larger towns, making the latter amount
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the license fee in all towns. The Senate then passed the bill over the gov- ernor's veto, but the House refused to concur. A bill creating a school of mines at Coeur d'Alene likewise failed to receive the governor's approval, on the grounds that some of its provisions were not clear as to their meaning, and others were in conflict with the state constitution. Another bill vetoed by the governor was that authorizing county commissioners to issue bonds for the pur- pose of funding the county indebtedness, the governor claiming that the measure gave too much power to the commissioners in certain respects in connection with the bond issues.
Among the laws enacted at this session was one amending the election laws by modifying the test oath so as to give the right of suffrage to Mormons who were not guilty of polygamy. This act was approved by the governor on Feb- ruary 23, 1893. The city charter of Lewiston was amended to permit the city to borrow money for the purpose of establishing water, lighting and sewer systems, and provide for a tax levy to raise funds for the payment of the interest and principal of the bonds. State normal schools were established at Lewiston and Albion ; a soldiers' home at Boise; and a state reform school at Mountain Home. An additional appropriation of $30,000 was made for the Idaho exhibit at the World's Fair in Chicago. The game laws were amended and an act to encourage the destruction of predatory animals-coyotes, wild- cats, panthers, cougars, foxes, gophers, etc .- was passed. Employers were pro- hibited from discriminating against employes on account of membership in a labor organization, and a memorial to Congress urged the passage of a law providing for the free and unlimited coinage of silver at the ratio of sixteen to one.
Considerable time was spent in the effort to pass a general law for the division of counties, the organization of new counties, and the removal of county seats, but it was finally defeated. A general law relating to the incorporation, government and powers of cities, towns and villages was passed.
COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION
In 1893 a World's Fair was held in Chicago to commemorate the four hun- dreth anniversary of the discovery of America by Columbus, for which reason it was known as the Columbian Exposition. By the act of the Idaho Legis- lature, approved March 13, 1891, the governor was authorized to appoint a commissioner who should have power to employ as many assistants as he deemed necessary, to take charge of the work of collecting and arranging an exhibit of Idaho's resources and products, and, if the commissioner considered it ad- visable, a state building might be erected on the exposition grounds. An ap- propriation of $20,000 was made to carry out the provisions of the act, the money not to be available until 1892. J. R. DeLamar, of Owyhee County, was appointed commissioner, but resigned before the exhibit was fully arranged and was succeeded by J. M. Wells.
By the act of February 8, 1893, an additional appropriation of $30,000 was made by the Legislature, which enabled the state to present a creditable showing. The Idaho Building at Chicago was a log cabin, built of logs taken from the native forests of the state, and while it was not as imposing as the
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buildings of some of the other states, it did not fail to attract its due share of attention. The writer was unable to find a report of the commissioner, if one was made, but from the general history of the exposition it is learned that Idaho received a number of awards, especially on her mineral and horticultural displays.
POLITICAL CAMPAIGN OF 1894
Four tickets were again placed in the field in the political campaign of 1894. The republican state convention renominated William J. McConnell for gov- ernor; Frederick J. Mills, lieutenant-governor; Isaac W. Garrett, secretary of state; Frank C. Ramsey, state auditor ; Charles Bunting, state treasurer ; George M. Parsons, attorney-general; Charles A. Foresman, superintendent of public instruction; Joseph W. Huston, justice of the Supreme Court; Edgar Wilson, representative in Congress.
Edward A. Stevenson, who had served as territorial governor, was nomi- nated by the democratic state convention for governor; John B. Thatcher, lieu- tenant-governor ; James B. Hall, secretary of state ; James Stodart, state auditor ; James H. Bush, state treasurer; William T. Reeves, attorney-general; John WV. Faris, superintendent of public instruction ; John C. Elder, justice of the Supreme Court; James M. Ballentine, representative in Congress.
The people's party candidates were as follows: James M. Ballentine, gov- ernor ; John J. Chambers, lieutenant-governor; Frank M. Tibballs, secretary of state ; Frank Walton, state auditor; C. W. Cooper, state treasurer; Robert S. Spence, attorney-general; Major J. Steele, superintendent of public instruction ; Texas Angel, justice of the Supreme Court; James Gunn, representative in Congress.
Henry C. McFarland was the prohibition candidate for governor; Erwin P. Marcellus, lieutenant-governor ; William C. Stalker, secretary of state; Henry H. Pogue, state auditor; Charles W. Ramsey, state treasurer; no nomination was made for attorney-general; Charles S. Lyles, superintendent of public in- struction ; no nomination for justice of the Supreme Court ; William J. Boone, representative in Congress.
The election was held on the 6th of November and resulted in a decisive victory for the entire republican ticket. The vote for governer was as follows: McConnell, 10,208; Stevenson, 7,057; Ballentine, 7,121 ; McFarland, 205.
THIRD LEGISLATURE
Governor McConnell's second term began with the opening of the third Leg- islature, which was convened at Boise on January 7, 1895, and continued in session until the 9th of March. Lieutenant-Governor Frederick J. Mills pre- sided over the deliberations of the Senate and Robert V. Cozier, of Bingham County, was elected speaker of the House. Governor McConnell delivered his message to a joint session of the two houses in the Columbia Theater on Tues- day evening, January 8, 1895, the public being invited to attend.
One of the most important acts of this session was that making a new ap- portionment of senators and representatives for legislative purposes. By this act the representation was distributed among the counties of the state as follows :
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HISTORY OF IDAHO
County
Senate
House
Ada
I
4
Alturas
I
I
Bannock
I
3
Bear Lake
I
2
Bingham
I
2
Boise
I
2
Canyon
I
3
Cassia
I
I
Custer
I
I
Elmore
I
I
Fremont
I
3
Idaho
I
2
Kootenai
I
3
Latah
I
5
Lemhi
I
2
Logan
I
2
Nez Perce
I
2
Oneida
I
2
Owyhee
I
2
Shoshone
I
4
Washington
I
2
-
Total
. 21
49
Later in the session the counties of Alturas and Logan were abolished and the counties of Blaine and Lincoln created, the representation of the abandoned counties going to the new ones; the offices of horticultural inspector and sheep inspector were created, the former to aid horticulturists in improving their grade of fruit and in the extermination of insect pests, and the latter to ex- amine herds of sheep for scab, or infectious diseases; the office of state boiler inspector created by the preceding Legislature was abolished, and the office of state engineer established.
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