The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1904-04-23

Afterwards ratluel tuls CONSTITUTION
at the polls by a very decisive maj
ority, the only reason given for the
votes csat against it being that state
government would be much more ex-
pensive and burdensome to the tax
payers than territorial form OF
government. Ii you will take the
pains to look over tbs personnel Of
the constitutional convention you
will be convinced that the leading
meu of both parties from every county
constituted its membership.
"A new constitutional convention
would be most dangerous thing.
The contest for members Of that con
ven ion would be waged strictly on
party lines, and there would be a
partizan majority. There is no tel
ling what new constitutional con
vention would do. IL would be a
great expense to the state to call an
election for delegates to cOustitu.
tional convention, and then another
election to vote for or against the
constitution so adopted. The only
change which it has been openly an
nounced is desired is the one to re-
turn to county judges and doing away
with the district judges. The desire
for this change apparently comes from
the attorneys. 1t would be a simple
matter to submit that question alone
to voGe Of the people, and if there
are any other small changes, which
not a great number OF people think
desirable in the constitution, they
could be submitted singly to the
people, as has been done in the past
A great many object to the woman
suffrage clause, but that, too, could
be submitted as single amendment
to our people, IL there are a sufficient
number who desire to come into the
open and advocate abandonment of
oman suffrage.
The Mormon leaders, those who
are polygamists, have been erdeavor-
ing, ever since We secured statehood,
to take the test oath out OF our con
stitutiou, and this resolution, which
passed the legislature, submitting to
the people whether they shall have a
constitutional convention or not, was
advocated and slipped through entire.
ly and solely by the Mormcns, and
it was done without the knowledge Of
the legislature or the people that such
a resolution was being pressed.
Why do they want the test oath
out Of the constitution? There is
not one voter in Idaho out Of a hun.
dred who have come into the state
during the past 10 years who Is aware
that there is such thing a. test
oath in our constitution. IL is dor
mant, the laws putting it into effect
have been repealed, and 1t does no
one any harm. The test oath pro
vides that no one shall vote or hold
office Who belongs to or contributes
to the support OF an organization
which breaches or practices plural or
celestial marriage, or which puts
ecclesiastical above civil law What
reason can any good citizen urge
against such provision a. that
From the very fact that the Mormon
/ hierarchy is 80 DESTROYS Of taking this
! provision out Of the constitution, 1t
must be apparent that they intend to
openly resume the practice 1t polyg
amy Ia Idaho, and openly proclaim
the authority Of the church In politi.
cal affairs.
''The Normous can not be restrain.
ed IN Utah. No persecution. against
them can be undertaken. No head
way can be made against them in
their political dictation, because Of
their great prepondarance Of voting
power. With tho test oath ont Of
our constitution we would be- a. com
pletely under the domination and At
the mercy Of tho Mormon hierarchy
Of Utah A the gentilss are in Utah.
The Mormon hierarchy ha4 forced
Iue HRhL on tHe United States by the
selection Of Apostle Smoot a.
United States senator, and they have
forced It upon the gentilea OF Idaho
by their 7nrrsptitiou4 attempt to take
the test oath out Of our constitution
They expect the support Of the poll
tican- u both the republican and
democratic parties. They count on
the power, which they WELD through
their large vote. to cparce the organ
l/ation Of both parties. and the
politicians Of both parties. to aid
them in taking from orr constitution
the only safeguard which We have
against the encroachmen. Of tbi.
hierarchy.
Ny Judgment ia that the masses
n the Idaho Mormona resent thi.
d'ctatIon Of the leaders at Salt Lake
10 their political affairs a. much a.
% the 2entiIe-, and that tho rank
aud He Of the Mormon people are q,