The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-05-03
AGAIN OF IDAHO.

4 gentleman writes from Boise city, ap-
proving the sentiment Of THE HERALD IN
reference to the Idaho statehood movement,
and condemning the anti-AGormOn laws en-
acted by the legislature of ourneighbor ter
,.ftory. His letter will be found in this
mornings issue We believe that every
fair-minded man viii agree with our cores
uondent in utterances against restricted
citizenship. and denunciatiOn Of certain
laws which disgrace the Idaho statute
books.
THE HERALD is not opposing statehood
for Idaho. On the contrary. we will hold
up both hands and vote aye on a PROPOSE
ton to let her into the union. The terri
tol1al system Is so Infamous in conception
and operation, so outrageOusly unrepub-
can. and so crnelly subversive OF political
rights of individuals and communities, that
we would gladly see it abolished, even II
the abolition put some extra financial bur
dens upon the people in the territorI $, and
worked an injustice to the old states IN
the matter of congressional representation
II is because THE HERALD is derious that
Idaho shall be admitted that we are
rrieved to note that the political
leaders up there are taking
course to keep the territory out OF the
union. There are twelve or fifteen thou
sand persons in the dependency whose re
Iigiou is offensive tC the maj GRITTY, and be
cause the majority do not like these per
sons. they are going to put into the pro
posed constitution clause which Will as
certainly close the door against ldaho's ad-
mission as the sun is TO rise this morning,
The clause referred to will be one denying
citizenship TO these persons Of offensive re
ligion. making them political outcasts, with
only the right to be taxed by their enc
mics. Our objection is not because these
people are MormOns; the principle would
he the same if they were MethOdists. Jews
Ingersoliams, or anything else. 1t IS OPP
posed to the theory of the American sys-
ten of government, and cannot be toler-
ated in state constitution, that person
can be punished on account OF his religious
belief. OF deprived of any civil right
through a profession Of faith. 1t IS also
contrary to the sentiment, theory and
practice of government, to punish by dis
reimbursement or otherwise, persons who
have not offended by word or deed. Con
aress went to the very limit OF
legislative power in this direction
in the passage of the Edmunds bill,
which did not trench upon religious belief;
it disqualified for voting and holding office
those who had broken the law as to certain
offenses. but all could believe and do as
they willed provided their practices did not
transgress the statutes in certain direc
tions. The laws enacted by the men who
are to frame the constitution for Idaho
make membership in Il certain church
crime punishable by deprivation of citizen
ship. though the individual may be the
purest and most upright Of men.
1t is proposed to incorporate this same
provision in the state constitution, and
thus not only commit a crime against repub
licanism, but destroy all chance of getting
rid of the territorial government so calling
10 all who appreciate American citizenship.
No Congress will assent to the admission Of
a territory with such an un-American con
stitution, and we doubt that a Congress will
be willing to entrust people with the re
sponsibilities of statehood, who propose
such an Infamous thing as the leading
.Idahoans are going to perpetrate.