The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-08-06

The Republican editors Of Idaho, at the
solicitation of the chairman Of the Repub-
lican state committee, have adopted reso-
luton to the effect that the Mormons hay
ing come within the law" the test oath
set should be repealed. That law is the
one which denies the franchise 10 any man
who is mem Der of an organization which
has taught the rightfulness Of plural mar
riage AS there had not been polyga-
nous marriage in Idaho for some time pre-
vlous to the passage Of the bill, and as
polygamy had not been preached there. the
occasion for the enactment did not exist.
However, that doesn't matter at this time.
II is something that Republican editors
have brought themselves to concede that
Mormons who violate no law are worthy of
some OF the rights Of citizenship. even if
this concession is prompted by desire to
curry favor with Mormons who will be
voters some time in the future. 1t marks
decided advance in Republican principles
and indicates that in the course of time the
z. o. p. in Idaho may come to believe there
is such q thing as political fairness in this
world.
But our friends Of the opposition do not
20 far enough. Their resolution is well
enough as sentimental declaration, but it
Is meaningless. There are in Idaho perhaps
5000 men who would be entitled to exercise
the franchise IL it were not for the law re-
ferred 10. They are citizens and taxpayers
who have resided in the state long enough
TO acquire the ballot; they are not polygam-
lists and never have been; they have never
violated any law, but have lived upright,
correct lives in all respects; many of them
are young men, whose only offense in the
eyes Of the ldsho statute are that they were
born in the Mormon church, or became
members OF the organization in their child
hood through the direction or influence of
their Mormon parents. These men want TO
vote at the election in November, and par
ticipste in the selection of Legislators and
officials to whom they will pay taxes and
who will administer the affairs of the state
and counties for the next two years. The
Repu blican resolution will not help them in
this respect. 1t does not even contemplate
assistance inside OF two years. Indeed,
was the declaration not put out for
the purpose of quoting the disfran-
chised Saints until il should be
too late for them TO participate in the
coming contestl 1t is plain that the Re-
pubiicsns do not expect the Mormons will
vote in November, and it is equally plain
that the Republican intention is to deter
them from making the attempt 10 vote.
THE HERALD does not pretend to say how
1t can be done, but we believe there is
way by which the MISREPRESENTATION
law can be made imperative, and the
cruelty disfranchised citizens be restored
to their rights in time for the November
election. If there is a way. it should be pur-
sued at once and the great wrong righted
before further injustice has been done, and
these abused people been made TO suffer
greater hardships. As the Republicans are
as much opposed as ever to the Mormons
voting. Notwithstanding the editorial re-
solution, the Democracy viii have to move
in the matter of having the void statute
set aside We therefore trust that the party
which is the friend of the people and whose
mission is to labor for human rights, will
not merely declare that the Mormons shall
be permitted to vote. but will sac to it that
they do vote without running the risk of
punishn ent at the hands of vindictive
enemies.