The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1890-02-06
A pEATH-BLOw TO MoRMoNIsM.

The decision of the Supreme Court in
regard to the cOnstitutiOnality of the
Idaho Mormon test oath is the hardest
blow yet struck at polygamy. The case
cam before the court from Idaho, and
to that Territory belongs, in large de-
gree, the credit Of having secured the
decision. For several years past the
MOrmOns have been making a deter
mined effort to gain the balance of po-
litical power in Idaho, and the g~entiles
of the Territory, or a majority of them,
have been as persistent in their oppOsi-
ton. The Mormons have felt the ne
cessity of colOnizing other Territories
acquired a strong foothOld in Idaho. AS
long as 1884 the Governor of the
Territory expressed himself very vigor-
ously on the subject of Mormon immi-
grafton. In his message he said:
The question of ~polygamy has grown to
such gigantic n mOnstrous proportions as
actually to overshadOw our present and i'm
peril our future as q commonwealth. with
Utah on the southern borders of Idaho,
crowded with MOrmOns, the passes through
the Owyhee mountains at hand and invit-
ing immigration. swarms of the faith OF
filth swarmed the passes, pre-empted the
land, founded villages, erected temples OF
idOlatry, and have since lived in, defiance
of ali law except the canons of the Mormon
Church and the direct commands OF the
apostles of lechery. Their numbers are SO
considerable, their organization SO close.
and their obedience TO the commands of the
church so servile that they are able, by
alliance with one of the political parties of
the Territory, to thwart justice, warp
Judgment and control legislation to the ex-
tent of preventing the passage of any laws
that would interfere with their fecund and
f~eculent Institution. l feel that in the near
future this polluting thing must be checked,
the barbarOus and blasphemOus practices
and tenets eradicated, uprOoted entirely. or
the destiny of this great and rich public
domain will be periled beyond blOodless
redemption.
This language shows the strong feel
ing that prevailed. 1t is hardly neces-
sary to say that the political party re-
ferred to was the Democratic. The Re-
publican territorial convention that
year, after referring to the rapid and
alarming growth of MormOnism, de-
clared that "the Democratic party, by
their fawning upon this element for
their political support, are alone re-
spOnsible for the power already exer-
cised by the Mormon Church in Idaho.D
The Legislature of 1885 contained eight
cen Republicans, six anti MOrmOns,
nine Democrats and four MOrmOns.
The anti Mormons acted with the Re-
publicans, and they passed a law re-
curing all county and precinct officers
elected in the Territory to take what
has since become known as the Mormon
test oath. 1t is as follows:
That / am not a member of any order.
sect or organization which teaches, advises
or encourages the practice of bigamy, or
pOlygamy, or any other crime defined by
law as a duty or privilege resulting or aris-
ing from the faith or practice of such order,
sect or organization; or that teaches, cOun-
sells. encourages, or advises any person or
persons to commit the crime of bigamy or
pOlygamy, or any other crime defined by
law, as a religious duty. That l am not a
| bigamist or polygamist. That | do not
either publicly or privately teach. counsel,
encourage or advise any person or persons
to enter into bigamous or pOlygamOus re-
~latiOns, or into the relation known as
plural or celestial marriage" That re-
| gard the Constitution of the United States
and the laws thereof. and of this Territory.
| as interpreted by the courts, as the supreme
| law of the land; and that / will support and
| uDuOlu tuo Sdue, tie TEACHINGS OI any Or
| der, sect or organization to the contrary
Notwithstanding, so help me Cod
As an official oath this is unique. 1t
certainly is stringent enough, and shows
a laudable determination to root out
Mormonlsm. This law practically ex-
Guided any Mormon from holding Office
in the Territory. 1t was supplementary
to the act of Congress known as the Ed
munds- Tucker bill, which in its main
provisions applied only to Utah. Idaho
has the honor of being the only Terri
tory which has attempted to eradicate
MormOnism by local legislation, and at
every stage of the business the Idaho
Democrats have stood in with the Nor
MONS. The Supreme Court holds the
test-Oath valid on the ground that
polygamy is a crime, and cannot beprac-
ticed under the cloak Of religion. In
connection with previous decisions sus-
tanning the constitutiOnality of the Ed
munds-Tucker act in other respects it
is a deadly blow at polygamy.