Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-11-06
IDAHO'S CLAM.

| st. Paul Globe.
Less is perhaps generally known OF
Idaho than of most of the territories
still out of the family of states. 1t is
| likely to be much better advertised in
the future. The senate irrigation COM
mittee spent some time there, and will
no doubt report in favor of government
aid to the needed irrigation. One OF
the senators is credited with the state
ment that it has more agricultural
lands than all the other territories,
which is difficult to credit. Idaho has
prepared a state constitution and is
about ready to ask for admission, as a
result, as claimed, OF encouragement
from Washington. Were it not for the
prevalent mood to get rid of the terri
tories by making them states, there
might be criticism of the immaturity
and numerical paucity of Idaho as a
state, but 1t has of late voted
with the party in power and is
counted as reliably set in that direction.
Yet the politics Of community ought
to have no bearing upon matter of SO
enduring character as statehood. One
is casual and temporary, and the other
perpetual. The special embarrassment
in the case of Idaho Is the Mormon ele-
ment. This comprises about one-fourth
of the population. To relieve this OBJ
stacle the convention has put into its
constitution the most radical anti-Mor-
mon section that could be devised. A
doubly iron clad test oath is provided,
which will disfranchise all connected
with the Mormon church. 1t Will pre-
sent the novelty as a .stateE having
one-quarter of its male citizens debarred
from holding office or voting, although
they pay one-fifth of the taxes A case
involving the constitutionality of this
test oath and disfranchlsement, which
have been IN operation two years IN the
territorial enactments, has been taken
to the United States supreme court and
will attract wide attention in the early
future. Its determination will materi-
allv affect the chances of Idaho for adj
mission. The Mormons as voters
would hold the balance of power be-
tween the Republicans and Democrats.
ana tempt the men who operate practi
cal politics. Then, if they are not dis
franchised, they could easily secure ac-
cessions from Utah sufficient to give
them the ma iority in the state. In the
case to be heard in the highest court
man named Davis retired from the
Mormon church last fall, took the test
oath and voted. This year he has been
reconverted and restored to the church,
This subjected him to the charge of vio-
lating the oath, and he was arrested,
tried and fined $500 in the United States
district court. He refused to pay the
fine and was sent to Jail. What proper
ty he had, being taken and sold out. was
insufficient to pay the fine. A writ of
habeas corpus was denied. Mr. Davis is
still in Jail, and the issue presented TO
the United States supreme court will de-
termine whether the disfranchisement of
all adherents to the Mormon church,
whether personally polygamists or not,
is constitutional If the test oath is
sustained, it Will. of course, be applied
to Utah and all other sections where
there is Mormon population. 1t would
settle the Mormon question, apparently,
so far as it was a barrier to statehood.
But whether the remedy would not be
more perilous than the disease is ques-
ton for serious consideration, aside from
any regard to the opinion the supreme
court may reach. The application for
statehood from Idaho will hardly be
acted upon in congress until the court
determines this case.