Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1904-08-17
DUBOIS OUTLINED THE ISSUE
DISCUSSING MORMON PLANK
Speech of the Senator in Defense of the Mormon
81 Plank Which He Carried Through
the Convention.


inflicted. You would have been led
to think that 1t was something very
unjust which We had fastened upon
the people. I wish to say to those
who have come to the state in recent
years that there was scarcely a dis
senting voice in our constitutional
convention, composed almost wholly
OF democrats and republicans. against
putting the test oath in our consti-
tuition.
Delegate Rich. from Bear Lake:
How many Mormons did you have in
that convention?"
Dubois: I'VE had no Mormons in
that convention"
Delegate Rich. from Bear Lake:
"They had no voice."
Dubois: Because the Mormons
+. could not take an oath that they did
not belong to an organization which
taught them to practice polygamy
and which put the ecclesiastical law
before the civil law. (Great ap-
plause.) And I say to you now, and
IL live, will try to carry it out, that
whenever the Mormons again say that
they encourage and practice and up
hold polygamy. and put the eccles-
iastical above the civil law, I shall
once more say that they ought not to
have the vote and exercise the priv
ileges of American citizens. (Applause
and cheers.)
MormOns do not want this interfer-
| ence by the leaders Of the church.
Conditions had become such in Id
a hn To. tnp~t tn, a,.Ir as.rl
| that they were unbearable. l mean
| the Mormon portion of it. I went to
/ Oxford to witness a democratic coun-
ty convention in 1884. The Mormons at
| that time were all democrats. without
| exception. oxford was in my county
| of Oneida, which at that time was a
very large one, comprising what is
| now the counties of Oneida. Bannock,
| Bingham and Fremont. At this con-
| vention I saw the then bishop of the
Mormon church. Mr.. Kicks, who had
been in the territory about six weeks,
and lived in the upper part of the
county, far removed from Oxford. He
! sat in that convention composed Of
35 Mormons and seven gentiles. and
made all the nominations. He had a
| list from which he read. and would
say. ! nominate so-and-so for sheriff.
| so-and-so for assessor, etc, and his
| nominee was always successful. by a
vote of 35 to seven.
Polygamy was everywhere, and in
those days were openly preached and
practiced. This condition Of affairs
made the test oath necessary, and
| say to the credit Of the great people
of the west, the loyal men and
women of Idaho Territory, regardless
| of politics, rose up and demanded the
enactment of the test oath. APP
plause.) And l say now again, al
though l am not a prophet nor a son
OF a prophet, unless present condi-
lions cease, the good moral men and
women of Idaho state, will rise up and
secure such legislation as will put a
stop to present practices. (Applause.)
| Now, l do not want to be tedious
but there were SO many loose state
| ments made last night, so many false
statements made, that I am trying
to recite n few facts. (Cries of. go
on.)
1t was no pleasant job for a man
engaged in that early fight in Idaho
Territory. The feeling was bitter
ern idaho, where I lived. Mormon
hardly spoke to a gentle, and vice
,, versa, Conditions We're almost I'M
bearable, and there was a feeling of
gladness and joy. which hardly any
people anywhere else can imagine,
when the manifesto from the author
tiles of the Mormon church came out,
saying that from that time and here
after We viii not practice or live in
polygamy, and we will not interfere
in political affairs. That was issued
by the presidency of the church,
which is the authority, aud was sus-
tanned by the Mormons in conference
| assembled, consisting OF some 1900
Mormons. After that, these same
, authorities. representing the whole
church, sent their petition for am
nesty to the general government. in
which they reiterated plainly that
they had given up polygamy for all
time, and polygamous living and that
they would not interfere at all in
political affairs Their rights were
! restored to them quickly, and quickly
did the citizens of Idaho. irrespective
of party, demand that the test oath
be removed. Why, we wepe happy
to take them by the hand, and for five
or six years after that we had hope
and peace in the southeast, the Nor
mons voting all the time There Was
no trouble until the heads of this
church again stepped out and said:
I'VE viii again take control of the
political affairs of Idaho" There arc
two very DISTINGUISHED gentlemen in
the audience before me, the two most
distinguished Mormon gentlemen
present Each of them and | have dis
cussed freely church Interference in
politics and devised plans which were
perfectly honorable to combat it.
Now gentlemen, il has been for
some time. said in the press. that this
is controversy of mine, that Dubois
was making this fight. Nobody says
why. l certainly cannot be making
it for political purposes. can 1? Is
there anyone hear who does not know