Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-10-01
THE IEsr OATH AGAIN.


sonE Of the extremists and fanatics
who succeeded iIi- placing an anti
"Mormon" test oath on the statute
books OF Arizona, aro moving IN the
same nn.Ameflcau direction again.
Under Governor Z1lick's admlnlsifa'
tlon the obnoxious provision was re-
pcalcj aud political liberty was once
more extended 10 the citizens Of
Arizona, without respect TO creed or
party. But Arizona IL about 10 knock
nj the doors OF the nation for admis-
siou as state with very good prospects
ofa welcome, and some Of the irfccon'
cilablcs are striving TO incorporate the
tcst oath la tho State constitution. We
copy here some extracts from Arizona
papers on this subject, pro aud con.
The bulletin says;
~ tos, oath In tho constitution would
probably leave the Republicans In the
majority in Arizona. II Is needless 10
say that Republican politicians arc unit
for tho test oathn
To this the Tucson Gtt-cn responds
M follows
''Tho ties; onlh. " called, Il an oath that
no good citizen will refuse 10 take. The
editor OF the AluiicffH isa Democrat but
he IN good citizen and would not hest
tato 20 take the test oath, however, nd
mlnlstefcd. The editor OF the CitiscIi "
Hepublican and would tnko the test
oath Ia Ike manor, 30, we repeat again.
will any good citizen. Il IL only those
who violate the law and fear IL, that TO
fuse to take the oath In question. II these
lnw.brpAkers constitute the Democratic
nal0rity,is tho Buiie'H implicit must be-
dlsreputablo party that will not purge
itself OF It's inlquitics. The tost oath IL
the bugbear OF tho Democratic party Ia
Arizona, and they dare not countonanco
ilA adoption 1t the expense Of their polit'
Teal power Ia tho Territory. N the ahop-
ton Of the test oath would leave Nopuli-
cans In n majority Ia Arizona, tho think
Ing members 81 tho Democratic party
must stand aghast at tho element that
give. IL place aud power Ia the Terri
tory"
Then the Buiieth comes back with
this pointed reply, aud We leave the
matter without further comment.
"Bro,hor brown, much obliged for
your good opinion of Us. hut does tho
Ctsen believe any man wo uld DO made
heiler or more law abiding by tho incor-
poration OF test oath In tho constitu-
tlonG We do not think so, neither
do We believe that majority
Of Arizona Republicans want
test oath, no matter what the indi.
yiduAls who have thoir hands on the pc.
litloal machine may dosiro. Tho CihsH
would have people bolloyo that no one
outside OF tho Democratic party was OPP
posed 10 a test oath. There's where you
are on wrong. Republicans and Demo.
Gratis alike In Graham county are opposed
to tho test oath as tho record will show.
In the Republican convention which
nominated candidates for delegates TO tho
Constitutional convention In this county
last spnng,in which were seated tho local
leaders OF the party, an emphatic expires.
sion was given In opposition 10 any test
oath being put In the Constitution. on
that expression they asked for Mormon
votes. The Citlscn does the Mormons
great injustice whom 1t speaks of thom ~
u class OF criminals. with an exception
horo and there, ~ with frail man In all
lands thoy are an honest and hnrdwork-
Ing people, aud IL can be said for thom
hero that they have done more 10 advance
our agricultural interest than all o,hor
classes put together.
eve maintain that every man who
commits crime should be hold tn account
before the bar Of injured justice, hut we
do not believe any man should hnvo hi,
rights abridged before ho has boon con-
yciod OF violation Of sons law OF tho
land la which he lives, no matter
what his private opinions and boz
lets may DO, An Mormons do not
believe In polygany, aud very small
percentage Of them ever practlcod II, but
because a man belongs 10 tho Mormon
Church ho Is To he excluded from the
polls whether he believes In polygnmy or
not The precedent of a tost oath might
be- carried To u degree that would on
danger tho very foundation OF our gov
ornmon,, by surrounding the ballot box
with obnoxious onths and thereby 70.
quiring the voter TO surrender oil Of his
American rights before casting his bal.
lot Every man convicted Of crlmo Is
now excluded from the polls aud that
covers tho ground. Convict your Nor.
mons, Brother Brown, before you oInch
thom."
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