Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1890-04-04
Tjdings
THE NEW STATES.
Idaho to Get ina Lively Debate Where
Does Joseph stand Now?

WASHINGTON, April 4.-The house yes
terday resumed consideration Of the uiil
providing for the admission OF Idaho rs a
state.
Dorsey, OF Nebraska, in charge of the
bill made speech in itsfavor. The only
opposition to the admission of aho, he
said, came from Mormons. They pro-
tested against the provisions of the CON
stitutlon, which disfranchised bigamists
and polygamists and persons who we're
members OF church association which
encourages bigamy. Mr., Mansur, OF Mis-
sour, criticised the provisions OF the con-
stitution DISTINGUISHING Mormons and
said the real reason was that the Nor
m0rns voted the Democratic ticket.
DnBOise of Idaho earnestly advocatud
he admission of Idaho. Criliczing the
minority report he said: 1t propose!
that bigamists and polygamists should
vote in Idaho. What right had members
OF the minority to impose upon Idaho
conditions which never before had been
imposed upon any state coming into the
union? There was, he said, in Idaho II
genus homo known as the ''jack Mor.
mon." who, while denouncing polygamy
and bigamy, obeyed all behests of the
Mormon church. Were the gentleman OF
ILLINOIS (Springer) to live in Idaho he
would probably be known as a "Jack
Mormon" He closed his discussion OF
the Mormon question by saying the issue
was fairly joined here. Would congress
sustain the reasonable and Iascivous
institution or would it hold up the hands
OF the brave pioneer, who had gone 10
Idaho, who Oh his proposition had aba,.
doned all party ties and united in savins
we earnestly desire statehood. But we
desire it only for legal American citi-
zens."
Delegate Smith, of Arizona, severely
denounced the action of the committee
ON territories in failing to report bill
for the admission of Arizona He said
his people had been unfairly treated
Arizona had every qualification for state.
hood, but the bill for her admission was
smothered in the committee, simply be,
cause she had seen fit to send a Demo-
crat to this congress. The Territory OF
New Mexico with population far greater
than Idaho and Wyoming combined, was
also kept in the background. Was it be.
cause poor JOSEPH (the delegate) had start
ed wrong in his youth and had become
Democrat?
Stewart, of Vermont, spoke in support
of the bill, and denounced the practices
OF the Mormon church. He said the
OF Idaho was in the line OF
the Edmunds bill.
Joseph, of New Mexico, presented the
claims OF the territory for admission on
The ground OF population, resources,
natural advantages and devotion to
American citizenship. "New Mexico"
he said, was as much entitled to statehood
as the great states recently added, or
hose territories which it was now pro-
posed to admit"
Buckalew, of Pennsylvania, opposed
he Idaho constitution because it out |
aWed the members of certain church |
Oats, of Alabama, criticized the COM
oulsory education feature OF the consttu-
ion.
McAdo0, of New Jersey, while de-
the practice OF polygamy.
hought that the constitution invaded the |
iomain of religious belief.
Springer, of Illinois, said that the
majority of the committee on territories
lad framed the Idaho bill in such a way
ls to secure partisan legislation instead of
proper legislation i'll order to bring the
tate into the union.
The Idaho admission bill then passed
he house. Yeas l29, nays l. The Demo
rats refused to vote and the speaker
counted quorum.
The chairman, while favoring admis-
ion OF territories, criticized the prov-
ions oil the constitution OF Idaho as an
INVASION OF sacred individual religious
lights. Polygamy was a crime, was one
which should not be tolerated, but the
closed to the accused the
ourts. Only asylums against passion and
corruption were left open.
Perkins, of Kansas, spoke in advocacy
# the measure. He said that those who
aught Mormonism in Idaho were dis.
He knew that some Nor
mons were good men, but that the or
,anization of the Mormon church was
,ernicious.
Manseur, of Missouri, inquired why
he gentleman had not voted to dis
ranchise the Mormons Of Wyoming.
Perkins replied that the question had
lot been presented to the committee.
Is far as he knew there were no polyg-
lmists in Wyoming, but if there were
hey would be DISTINGUISHED under the
1dmunds act. He believed in the dis
ranchisement of the Mormons on ac-
'ount of their practice and the teachings
If their church. 1t was for the house to
Iay whether it would crown with its ap.
,roval the criminal organization known
Is the Latter Day Saints, and whether it
sould tell the intelligent, patriotic people
II Idaho that they would be denied ad-
mission until they took into fellowship
men guilty of bigamy and polygamy.