The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-04-03
DEMOCRATS AND MoRMoNs.'
United in Opposition Ito ldaho's
Claims to Statehood,

WASHINGTON, April 2.-The House today
proceeded to the consideration of the Idaho
admission bill, and Mr.. Dorsey of Nebraska
spoke in its favor. He sketched the prog
ress of the people of Idaho since the forma-
tion of the territory, and eulogized its agri-
cultural and mineral wealth. He contended
that its population entitled it to admission.
The only opposition to its admission came
from the Mormons. They protested agains
the provision in the constitution which dis
franchises bigamists and polygamists and
members OF any association which encour-
ages bigamy.
Mr.. Mansur of Missouri disclaimed any
sympathy with polygamy, but criticised the
provision of the constitution disfranchising
Mormons. The real reason for disfranchis-
ing them was that the Mormons in Idaho
voted the Democratic ticket. Itwas not a
question of principle, but OF expediency
Mr.. Dubois of Idaho earnestly advocated
the admission of the territory. The minori-
to report, he said, proposed that bigamists
and polygamists should vote in Idaho What
that upon any state coming into the I'm
ion? If the gentlemen were in earnest in
their desire to crush this corrupt institution
which had been disgrace and stain upon
the national honor for half century, the op-
portunity was offered. On one hand was
commercial and political organization, held
together by crime; on the other, as brave
and loyal q people as ever founded state.
Give Idaho statehood under her constitution
and the Mormon question would soon be an
issue of the past
MrSmith of Arizona earnestly denounced
the action of the committee on territories in
failing to report the bill for the admission of
Arizona. Arizona had every qualification
for statehood which Montana, the Dakotas
and Washington possessed. The bill for her
admission was to be smothered in committee
simply because she had seen fit to send a
Democrat to Congress. He voiced the Re-
publican as well as the Democratic senti-
ment of his territory in protesting against
this unfair treatment
Mr.. Perkins of Kansas inquired why the
Democratic committee in the last Congress
had not reported bill for the admission of
Arizona.
Mr.. Smith replied it had done so, but
could not bring the bill up for consideration:
1t had unfortunate rules under which it
could not do Democratic business. The
committee could do it now. Laughter.
Mr.. Chipman of Michigan. while favoring
the admission for the territories, criticized
the proposed constitution for Idaho as an in
yasiOn of sacred individual and religious
rights He condemned polygamy root and
branch. If aMormon was convicted of that
crime, he should be punished: But Mormons
were American citizens and should be accord
ed the same rights as other citizens. He would
blot,outM0rmOniSm II he could but would not
even to blot out Mormonism, take one step
which might blot out the freedom OF an
American citizen.
Mr.. Perkins of Kansas, arguing for the
bill, said the only objection made by the
minority was to the provision of the consti-
tuition which disfranchised believers in
polygamous practices 1t was the polygam-
ist who was distranchised. 1t was the man
who believed in a church which taught the
monstrous doctrine that the church was
superior to the government and pOlygamy
was right, who was disfranchised, In
Idaho today bigamists and polygamists were
dlsfranchised. The provision was only con-
tinued