The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1904-07-02
TIVE MORMON QUESTION
OATH DisFRANcHIsE moRmoNs
Church nsss Liss ~ 20 Its FrsasIsss-
Manifesto l. NislAtsd shoata H.ss
Lssisisaias Assinss PSiyEusay ana
EiEsay

Aa1N TOT what BurpeNe The test oath
vas provided hs misses the point even
after having IL pointed out TO him.
That oath was provided Tor under
thv territorial government fur the
purpose Of disfeanchisiug ali tie mem
bers u the h9rmon church aud II &C
eompiished lie purpose,
Later Oh, Immediately after thv
church had issued the manifesto prom
ising 10 stop the practice 81 loIyR
niny. aud whiis the sincerity 81 the
church Ia the nasttNr was being dsbut
81, tie idaho legislature met. and
ssiAbiishins qualifications for sxsricss
" the suffrage, addsd 80 the language
" tbs cath, - nsat the profession
'sAis seeks tsfaTo ~ tile church, con
tlnuing tie disfranc hissmeut - ali
The aseRhers - Lh4g Organization.
- oSig uAliy framed - thv territorial
government, ths cath auid not have
covered ali tbs memtsrs after the
issuing ~ the natter.
The cath AlvaYs SO designed 70
disfFabehiss all the msnbers o. the
ehaFch Its form. prior the IL.
suanea u the usanitsslo, wEs ~ Rsi
forth IN the territorial act; after The
manifesto Or subsequent % the ses
sign y the Legislature that met f-w
v~eks after the uanii~sto sAs lasu~d.
IL form vas -ui forth "a tbs nrs, rss
siou laus Nbss the test oath i
Cos spoken ot 10 rs t4s oath 20 ls1I.
The constitutional convention met
b~fufe the manifesto sss Issued lu
prescribing che qualifications far sue
raEs, u followed The territorial lygis
iation On she subject tut specifically
save tbs Legislature authority 70 add
q The guallacatlous That was fer
the purpose ~ snabling the leRlsla
tore 10 meet any move msae BY ths
church that might have the effect az
relieving tie uon poiygmlst Hormons
form their ELECTORAL disabilities
The Statesman whs flfst 20 call ~
teutiou % the fact that lu The seNslau
after the disabilities e tho nou paiys
smlFts srre removed. The eosiiyutlon
81 provisions deuyl the tall I a.
P0iysamisis urre r~pcsle3 II has
Insisted ard still INSISTS that those
qualifications should ba restored n
the statutes fui the test oath that
shicb is commonly uuderstood by
that term Il the usth ~ 10 stood
after the eesslan ~ lsal and until il
~as changed ~ the legislation Of
1894 II reauaeted IT would dis
franchise all u4orsl bera - The Mormon
church
Further. The Statesman believer
- shnuld have legislation against
polyRamy. btgamy, etc, that would
be onforchils. but we cannot get such
legislation 50 long A. auy considerable
portion Of the people are determined
TO pay mere attention & the demands
Of the Mormon leaders than to the
viehes uf the non Mormon popula
tion. IL believes both parties should
make platform declaration ntterauee
iu favor Al such Legislation iu order
that the Mormon leaders shall realize
that the people sill uo longer ait pa
tiently with folded hands submitting
TO violation Of the pledges Of the
church and Go oncruacbmput upon
The statutes Of the state.
10 further believes the sentiment
OF the people Of the state should be
Expressed iu platform resolutions Of
both parties ia favor If a national
constitutional amendment. Judge
Qaarlos, In bis published statement.
proposes that tho public shall content
itself with dreaming ~ legislation In
THE state removing cases Of poly
gany uut OF the Mormon counties
Tor trial How would he secure such
ieRielationf Our experience ia leg
islation on matters touching Mormon
interests does not encourage the hope
that anything could be done even IL
Il were constitutional 60 follow such
q plan, Nor is there any person 20
believe that che desire 10 win Mormon
votes would not cause the officials 70 !
permit such a statute TO remain a
dead leatteE,
hut. IL aneh Law should be con.
etitutional, and " it should be en-.
forced In this state, what effect 4
would IL have upon the practice of
polyRamy in utaht That state il =
part of the Union We all know
that no Law against polygamy can be
enforced by H. Yet Judge Quarles
would have US fold our hands and |
permit the great evil 10 flourish there
aud spread into this state to challenge