The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-01-18
IDAHO'S ADMISSION.
The Test Oath Clause, the Stun
bling Block,
WILL HAVE TO BE ELIMINATED
From Her Constitution Before Success
Can be Hoped fora Decided
Mormon Victory.

WASHINGTON, Jan. r7.-TSpecial telegram
TO The HERALD There is well grounded
belief In political circles here that the terri
tory OF Idaho cannot be admitted as state
during the present Congress unless the
test oath clause DE entirely eliminated from
her constitution. Delegate Dubois says he
does not desire her admission unless the
oath remains as it at present is, the feature
OF that instrument. As the non Mormons
OF the territory are disposed to endorse
this view, they will have none but them
selves to blame if by following this course
they are kept outside of the sisterhood of
states for an indefinite term of years.
TWO WEEKS AGO
the Republican members of the Senate ter
rltorlal committee unanimously favored
reporting the bill for the admission of
Idaho. They had been told that the Nor
mons of the territory were an undesirable
element, and they had come to believe that
a measure affecting their interests could
not be too repressive or arbitrary in it's
character.
A little later Delegate Game, Jere Will
son, Bishop Bulge and other friends of the
ldaho Mormons went before them and pre-
sentet their side of the case. ItWas a rev
elation to the committee 1t set them to
thinking, and when once they began think
Ing, they commenced asking themselves the
question, Were we not a little hasty in the
conclusion we had reached regarding these
people?"
SENATOR CULLUM,
of Illinois, is one of the leading members
OF the committee. | asked him TODAY
what action he and his associates proposed
taking. He answered, II don't feel salts
ned about this test oath business" He
paused for moment and then strokinp his
chin thoughtfully repeated II don't feel
satisfied about it, and hardly know what
/ shall do.n
If Senator Cullum should turn his back
upon ldaho's admission, his action would
be severe blow to Delegate Dubois. The
latter comes originally from the Senator's
nome IN ILLINOIS. In all matters of public
interest the Senator has been Dubois
political mentor, and if he should now.
when Dubois needs his services most, turn
the cold shoulder toward him, the Delegate
would feel that life was hardly worth Ifv-
ing; but Mr. Dubois will probably receive
other disappointments equally great before
he has finished with this business.
sENARoR DAVIS,
of Minnesota, another Republican member
OF the committee, is also quoted as looking
with d1sfavor upon the test oath. Senator
Davis IS man of rigid convictions, and
once he becomes satisfied, as some of his as
sociates are, that this clause establishes q
dangerous precedent, he will not hesitate to
vote again st the admission, both in the
committee and on the floor of the Senate.
SENATOR PLATT,
of Connecticut, is also a careful. conserya-
tive man, and he, too, is giving this aues-
ton great deal more consideration today
than he was week ago And so theleayen
is working, and the chances are now about
even that the bill will fail of passing in the
Senate. 1t certainly will unless some of
Republicans who are conscienciously op-
posed to the test oath, should be dragooned
into supporting the measure against their
honest judgment.
The week closes with a substantial vic
tory for the Mormons of Idaho.
The committee today decided, as THF
HERALD's regular press dispatches will
show, TO report favorably upon the admis-
sion of Wyoming, but to
DEFER ACTION IN THE IDAHO MATTER
until the case testing the constitutionaIity
OF the test oath shall be decided by the
supreme court Nothing could more clearly
demonstrate the change of sentiment on
the part of the committee. A week ago
they were disposed, by a majority vote, to
favor the passage of the bill, test oath and
all. To-day they display their willingness
to look more carefully into the matter be-
fore reaching a conclusion. The result is,
OF course, very gratifying to the opponents
OF the admission, but to Mr.. Dubois and
his associates it can be nothing less than
bitter and crushing disappointment.