Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-08-17
THE IDAHO ANTI.MoRMON
PLANK.

papers Of the proceedings on Tuesday
at the Democratic state convention In
Idaho, all state that IN the passage OF
resolution against polygamy and
church Influence in politics Senator
Dubois and his followers achieved an
tl-"Mormon' victory. The resolu-
ton which at first was voted down, but
was afterwards passed with some mod
ihcatlon IL called an anti" Mormon
resolution, II was aimed at the Nor
mon" Church and was 80 recognized
by It's supporters and by It's opposers,
But as adopted by the convention IT,
wording does not SO appear. This Is tn
text Of the plank put into the Demo-
cratic platform:
I'VE demand the determination Of
polygamy and unlawful cohabitation
within the bJrders Of Idaho and the
complete separation Of church and
state IN political affairs, We pledge
the Democratic party to enact such leg
islation as viii eventually suppress
such evil
The most active and strenuous oppo-
nents of the plank were nom" Nor
mons" among them +. II. Holzelmer
Of Bannock, Senator Evans Of Oneida,
ana II. c. Redwine Of Lemh The
vote against II, however, came largely
from those counties that are called
Mormon because the majority Of
their population are OF that faith The
- ID IL Ia
rather than It's language. It bears the
inference that polygamy Is practised
and that church and state are united In
Idaho, and That the Mormon Church
Is responsible therefor That is why
the plank was obnoxious 10 lAe Nor
mon" people and 10 others IN that
state who understand the situation
and can see through the guhterfuges put
forward by the advocates Of the mcas-
ure
The prime mover IN the anti."Mor-
mon" assault WAS Senator Fred 7, Du-
bos who Is credited by all parties and
papers with framing and carrying the
resolution IN spite Of all obstacles and
protests, After falling of election rs
a delegate In his own county, he man
aged--by what means does not matter
now-to obtain a seat as delegate from
another county His speech on the res
olution that he submitted as a substl-
tute and which was passed, abounded
IN antI-"Mormon attacks. There were
three notable points in It, as reported
by the press one was his strong de
precailon Of the idea that he was re-
sponsible for the adoption Of the anti
polygamy plank" Another was his use
OF the ono-slded testimony before tho
United States senate committee IN the
smoot case. to effect his purpose, The
third was his assertion that the young
Mormon Democrats were delighted
az being set FREQ from Church control In
politics, and regarded him as their
friend and champion,
AS to the FIRST us absolute and im-
pudont falsehood is established by the
very speech in which he uttered It. Tho
purpose Of II was to force upon the
convention the plank which he himself
presented, after the original proposition
had been killed, His speech was vlru-
lently antl-"Mormon" throughout The
Introduction IN a political harangue Of
matters that had come before him In a
auasl-judlclal capacity and only part
Of one side Of which had been present
ed. showing that he had made up his
mind without hearing the other side,
and that he wae ready 10 express II for
political purposes, needs no strong
Language from u.s. but must strike ev-
cry fair mind with establishment and
disgust. His declaration about the glee
OF the young Mormon Democrats Is
laughable in It's patent untruth and
absurdlty There Is no young or old
Democrat IN Idaho who can truthfully
say that the Mormon Church has
ever required him TO vote one way or
another. or exercised any coercion up
on him In politics IN any manner
whatever.
And here is where the objection
comes In to the whole attempt ON the
part Of the Mormon" agitators
10 put the church iu false light
As to the polygamy part OF the plank
al we need 90 do 10 show the hypoc-
risy Of rs pretended eagcrness for
moral purity. is to point ont the fact
that the denunchton Of adultery
which was part Of the original resolu-
ton was cxpunged from the subsu-
tute introduced 10y Senator Dubois and
adopted by his friends There are
names associated with the planks sup
port which sufficiently explain why
that word Was purposoly omitted. but
we do not wish to be personal
Now the iutroduccr Of the anti
polygamy plank knows as well as We
do that the offence, as defined by law,
is not and never has been committed
In Idaho, and further that the Church
has forbidden Il at amy place The
necessity for the plank, then has no
existence But the animus In Il Is evil
dent. The State OF Idaho has no law
against sexual offences which are
known to abound therein, and this
plank In the Democratic platform is