The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-09-08
IDAHo's NEXT GOVERNOR


Ex-Governor Edward A. Stevenson.
Iof Idaho, has been in this city for two
or three days. and has been welcomed
by his fellow Democrats. He is the
party candidate for Governor Of Idaho
at the ensuing election. His prospects
are excellent. While it is not true that
he has favored fusion with the Popu-
lists, it is true that many of them will
vote for. him, because they know he
gave the territory a clean administra-
ton when he was Governor before, and
they regard him as infinitely preferable
to the Republican candidate.
There is one thing which is being
used against the Governor in Southern
Idaho that ought to be understood by
the people there in its true light, but
which is unfairly presented by the Re
lpubicans. 1t is the position he took in
reference TO the law which was enacted
in 1889 in regard to the Mormons. The
test oath had already been in force but
an amendment was made-the legisla-
ture being almost entirely Republican
which Governor Stevenson objected
10 and which he was expected to veto,
but which he subsequently signed.
The reasons for his action, at last,
were these: There was case then
pending in the Supreme Court which
was expected to be decided against the
validity of the test oath. That would
have covered the entire ground, includ
ing this amendment. The territorial
Acknowledgement, r. q. johnson as
staunch Democrat as could be found
and a sincere friend of the Mormon
people-advised the Governor to sign
the bill He fully believed that the law
would be pronounced unconstitutional,
and also that if the Governor vetoed
this bill another would be passed, az
severe as that but devoid of some de-
fects which he believed would render
the pending bill invalid. Besides, the
courts having the matter in hand it
was thought best to leave the matter to
judicial action.
So much for the signing of the bill
At the same session two memorials to
Congress were adopted. one originating
in the House, the other in the Council
They were both bitterly anti-Mormon,
denouncing the Mormon Church as a
reasonable organization, and suggest
ing extreme measures for its suppress
sion. The Council Memorial was
against the admission of Utah as a
State. Governor Stevenson announced
his intention to veto them. They never
reached him. They were conveyed to
the Secretary, who was a Republican,
and through him forwarded to Wash
ington, never having passed through
the Governors hands.
Now as to his sentiments in reference
to the Mormon people as citizens
While Governor Stevenson, in his mes
sages, declared that the laws must be
obeyed in every respect and that they
must be fully enforced, he gave credit
to those people for honesty. thrift, tenn
perance and progress. His report TO
the Secretary of the Interior for 1888,
contains some references of this char
acter, which will be found in another
part of this paper
We touch on this subject because we
desire that the people of Idaho, among
whom The Herald widely circulates, to
have the actual facts. The Republic
ans who seek to damage Stevenson's
are appealing to the Mormon
citizens to defeat him on the ground
of his action as to the test oath bill,
but they carefully conceal the fact that
the Republicans when in power in the
territory were the persistent and I'M
yielding enemies of those people, apart
from the objection to their peculiar
family relations.
Why any of those citizens WHO have
been re-enfranchised should
fall into the arms of the Republican
party, is one of those mysteries which
are beyond common ken. If they like
to kiss the rod and caress the hand
that smote them, of course they may
But they should not be deceived as to
the true status Of the matter we have
touched upon. At any rate the Demo- |
Gratis of Southern Idaho, irrespective of
religious proclivities, should extend the
same support to Stevenson as he will |
receive in other parts of the State. If |
hey do, the next Governor of Idaho |
will be a stalwart Democrat, who has
demonstrated his ability and power to |
give the State a wise and honest adj |