The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-04-16
MoRMoNs IN IDAHO.

The Republican party fought the Mormon
church because Of its reasonable doctrines and
unlawful practices, and began the fight away
back in the dim past when the Mormons enjoyed
all the rights Of citizenship and were power in
Idaho. Their friends apologists and support
ers were the Democrats and the polygamous
bishops were invited to their counsels where
they all took an active part and were elected
TO help make laws for the territory OF Idaho.
It was when the Mormons were In the full flush
Of political power that the Republican party
fought Them. The fight was continued until
the Mormons were DISTINGUISHED. few Dem
ocrats aided the Republicans in the work,
and they never went back to their
party until the question was settled.
The above is from long editorial in the
Idaho World, which is intended to induce
the Mormons in that state to vote with
the Republicans and thus lick the hand
that smote them. The logic of the editor
is that because the Republicans waged
open and determined war upon the Saints
until the latter were d1sfranchised. the
Democrats offering little or no defense. the
Mormons should like the Republicans
The reasoning follows peculiar line. If a
a man, because he is bigger and more DOW.
erful than you, knocks you down and robs
you, you must respect and love him. and if
he will permit it, must enlist in his SER
vice.
The Republican politicians in Idaho who
are pleading so earnestly for the Nor
mon vote, do not seem to take into &C
count the fact that there is such a thing as
principle in politics. They act as if men
were in the habit of voting with this party
or that without regard TO the PRINCIPLES
involved or the political issues They 20
upon the theory that if JOHN Dor, who is
9 Republican, befriends RICHARD Roe. the
latter, though he is Democrat. will
necessarily vote the formers Republican
ticket. 1t isn't question with the Idaho
Mormons-or should not be question with
thern-of what Republicans have done
or what Democrats have not done. in the
past. The question is, which party pre-
sents the best principIesl In whose priu-
ciples do the individual Mormons belieyel
Upon whose principles do the Mormons de
sire that the government shall be con.
ductedl
We knew that until they were disfran
chised the great majority of the Idaho
Mormons professed to be Democrats anc
voted the, Democratic ticket. and we as
sumo that they were honest in this
and conscientious. If the assumption i,
false, and the men didn't know why the,
voted with the Democrats, il they Mer,
not directed by principle, then it didn'
matter much when they lost thu
right of suffrage, for votes which
are cast without regard to theil
import or meaning may better be kept on
of the ballot boxes. But If the assump
tion is correct as we know it is, some o
the ablest and most conscientious men il
Idaho being Mormons, then it is but natu
raj to conclude that the great majority o
Mormons in the state are still Democrats il
their political belief, no matter what indi
viduals in or out of the party may hav
dore for or against them. Democratic
principles do not change.
1t is yet question whether the Mormon
J will be permitted to vote. Since tn