The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-01-14
MORMONS IN IDAHO.
The Argument Of Judge Wilson
Before the Senate
COMMITTEE ON TERRITORIES
Against the Admission Of Idaho Under Hell
Anti-MOrmon Constitution-The Mos4
Drastic Bill Yet.


Senate committee on territories this morn
ing in behalf of the Mormons of Idaho, to
argue against the admission of Idaho as a
state. The full committee was present
and Mr.. Wilson's very clever and thorough
explanation of the case was carefully fol-
lowed by the large crowd present. Mr..
Wilson, after referring to the unjust con-
sttution which the people of Idaho have
adopted, constitution, he said, which
subjects the Mormons to taxation without
representation, said: 'Since it is pro
posed to thus burthen them without
any of the rights that are usually
allowed as a consideration for the imposi
ton OF such burthens, they submit that
before the increased burthens of a state
government should be thus placed upon
them, the population of the state should be
equal to what is usually required in that
regard, and they insist that no state gov
eminent should be organized under such
circumstances, where extravaganza and
not economy is a conspicuous feature: and
especially do they insist that no state gov
ernment shall be organized on the basis Of
a population which is denied representa-
ton. Therefore they assert as regards
their opposition:
WANT of sufficient population
1.-The extravagant provisions in respect
OF officials and salaries.
3-The provisions relating to the dis
qualification of voters, the right to hold
office and to serve as jurors.''
Mi. Wilson then reviewed the estimated
population OF the territory which ne con-
clusively showed does not exceed $4,000.
This indicates said he, "a population
ABOUT one-half OF that required for a repre-
sentative in Congress and includes Nor
mons and Chinese. The Mormon popula-
ton, - he continued, us stated by Cover
nor Shoup to be %, 900, and this is not far
wrong. They are taken into account to get
population enough for admission as state,
but they are to be excluded participation
In the government after admission The
privileges that they are to have are to
stand up and be counted and to pay taxes.
but they are not to serve on juries nor vote
nor hold office. There are 1000 Chinese
whom 1t is our legislative policy to get rid
or as soon as possible. In arriving at the
population, the %, 600 Mormons and the :. OOO
Chinese should be deducted If this be
done, then if the population will not
exceed $4,000, as we claim there are only
$4,000 persons left, hardly one third of the
| number required for member of Con
| gress. Or ii there are $4,000, as estimated
| by Governor Shoup, deducting the %. 900
Mormons and the 1000 Chinese there are
only 81 600, about half enough for a mem
Der of Congress
The 20, 600 Mormons are not by this com
putatlon exempted from the payment of
! taxes, although deprived of any partici ma
ton in any affairs of the state Therefore
they come here to urge that constitution
shall not be adopted which starts state
government in which one of the conspicr
Gus features is extravaganza"
MIR. Wilson then detailed at some length
the number of district judges. supreme
judges, county officers, Legislative and other
state officials who would be called into
being by the admission of the territory as
tate, thus adding enormously to
tne EXPENSES OF the territory, and
to the taxes which the citizens of
the territory are now compelled to paw.
but the most serious objection to the con
stltutlon," the speaker went on, sis the
provision by which every member of the
Mormon church Is denied suffrage, deprived
OF the right to serve as jurors and to hold
office. And it may not be out of place to
mention that never yet in the history of
this government. save in Idaho, has
the citizen been deprived of the
privilege accorded to citizenship be
cause of what he thinks or what he
teaches. 1t has been generally supposed
that man might think as he pleased, be-
ieve what he would and teach what he be-
lieyed, and that the restraining power of
law was only to be directed against acts
which the law condemns as criminal IF
this action of Idaho is sustained, it is a step
far in advance of any that Congress has
ever before taken, and | submit that it is
not polite, nor is it competent under the
constitution of the United States to dis.
franchise a man for his religious belief.
nor because of membership in any church.
People are not required to believe all the
dogmas or tenets of any church of which
they are members. Mormons NAV find
many things congenial to them in
this C Iurch that make membership
In IL and worship according
to Its forms and ceremonies
de irable. They have under the constitn
tion of the United States the right to the
free exercise of religion, but by this CON
stitution man who never was guilty of
polygamy, who does not believe in it, and
who never encouraged or advised ar 1ne to
be guilty of it, but who simply worships in
the Mormon church, partakes of it's sacra-
ments, ETC., is denied the right of voting
no matter how exemplary his life or how
much he is required to contribute to the
support OF the government under which he
is compelled to live. The non-Mormons
are largely in the majority in Idaho. When
Idaho is state there is no danger that
laws will not ne enacted which will make
polygamy crime, as it now does under
act of Congress. The punishment of il
will go on then as now and the extermi
mating effects of that punishment will
be the same. Practically it has
ceased already and if Idaho be-
comes state under this constitution.
the Idaho men will be DISTINGUISHED for no
other reason than membership in this
church. 1t cannot be wise craftsmanship
to take the ballot out of the hands of law
abiding citizen because he is a member of
that church and leave it in the hands of
the bar room loafer and the moral leper.r
1.-THE MormonS,n said Mr.. Wilson. i'm
pressively, may be fanatics in religion.
but there is much of political fanaticism in
this constitution" In conclusion he said:
Personally shall rejoice when every ter
ritory has become state in the union in
accordance with the policy and under the
condition prescribed and heretofore pur
sued. But hope that no one will be adj
mitted whose constitution so flagrantly
violates the letter and spirit of the federal
constitution as 1T seems to me this one
does'
Delegate Dubois, of Ilaho, replied to Mr..
Wilson. There was neither force nor logic
his discourse. 1t should scarcely be
called an argument at all. 1t was simply a
bitter and malignant TRADE against the
Mormon people and Mormon church.
Dubois Has His Say.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 13.-The Senate com
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