Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1906-10-13

offence or offences but is subject to
punishment in this state. and these
men, il guilty, can be placed where
they will have no use for one wife,
let alone five. (Laughter.) Isn't that
true? Is there any question about
1t? What other statute is necessary
What more can be enacted for the
purpose Of defining these crimes and
providing for punishment?
You will remember that over two
years ago l said to Senator Dubois
from this rostrum that If he would file
a complaint in criminal court and
proceed to bring the parties into court
who had contracted a plural marriage
since the manifesto, that / woule find
the court in which to try him, the law
under which to punish him, and that
] would prosecute him without a dol
lars cost to the county or to the state.
He did not file that complaint. The
challenge was made to him. He now
steps aside from that issue and, in his
speech in the present campaign, said
that he handed me the names of par
ties, and that l would not prosecute
them. 1t is true that they telegraphed
me some names, but it is equally true
that they did not have the courage
to file complaint in the court, nor
place behind those charges the verify
of an oath. There has been charge
after charge made of the violation of
the law. They claim to know the
facts. They claim to know the indi-
viduals. 1t strikes me that a United
States senator would have some friend
who would be willing to bring these
people into the criminal court and turn
them over to the criminal law, but
they do not do so.S They say from the
public rostrum. this man is commit
ting crime" If so. why should they
not file complaint But. he said in
the last campaign over in Silver City,
that 1t was beneath the dignity of a
United States senator to file a COM
plant in criminal court. Possibly
that is true. I would not want to
urge the matter too far upon the gen.
tlefan.
Senatorial dignity is a precious arti-
Gle. But I knew that our friend Heit-
field had been senator. and that he
was then an ex-senator. so I extended
the challenge to Mr.. Heitfeld. Mr..
Heitfeld. in all probability. did not
know of any such cases. at least he
Med no complaint. I then extended
the challenge to Mr.. Clay, the party
running for congress. and he failed to
file complaint. Now, don't know
there may be parties there who are
guilty of the offence which Senator
Dubois charges. I say that have no
knowledge Of it. And I further say
~As~sf - ~ 40 True, there Is no DOSSl-
Die reason under the sun why they
should not be prosecuted, Just the
same as any other party who is COM
uniting crime in this state. The
laws are there, the courts are OPEN
the statutes are efficient. and there is
no possible reason why they should
not proceed. One and all, regardless
OF party. in this state stand for the
prosecution Of any one who is yiolat-
ing the law in this respect We do
not defend Them and we do not pro-
pose to defend them.
But, ne says, the courts are in the
hands of the Mormons. I want to
snow you just how fair my friend is
wnen he comes up heer to discuss this
question with you Cassia county.
which Is one of the largest Mormon
counties In the state, Is presided over
by Judge Littleton Price, a gentle
and gentleman of unquestioned
standing and character Fremont
county and Bingham county are ire
sided over by Judge Stevens. a gen
tile and man of high standing II
am Informed that the prosecuting Off
GERS or these counties are also gentiles.
what Is to prevent his proceeding in
those counties? The courts are not in
the hands of the Mormons. and there
are hundreds and hundreds Of gen.
tiles suitable for jurvmen. and who
would be perfectly willing to sit and |
nnnesitatingiy act upon the evidence |
Inere Is no possible reason whv thew
should not proceed to prosecute and |
Drive this crime from the community |
Nobody believes that the doctrine Of |
polygamx is religion, or any part of |
a religion. I do not care what thew |
call 1t, 1t is a crime under the stat |
utes or this state. There is no more !
reason why 1t should be condoned. |
tnere Is no more reason why we should i
overlook 1T. than we should overlook |
any other crime or condone any other |
oHence 1t strikes me that If the |
senator knows of coterie of men who |
are practicing this crime and will NOT
prosecute them or provide means for
tneir prosecution, that he must be the
pisnop OF the Mormon church, and |
not !, as he intimates. (Appause.)
Another thing. ladies' and gentle
men. that would have you remember
books, both national and state from
the hrst one which was signed by
Abraham Lincoln dealing with the ter
ritorial situation which then existed
hown to the last which was signed by
your honored governor. F. r. Gooding.
every single statute bearing upon the
SUBJECT or touching in any way the
Mormon question, or the practices Of
the Mormon church. was enacted
either by a republican congress or a
republican legislature. I do not saw
TINS as challenge of the good -citi-
zenship of the democrats. They would
undoubtedly have done equally well
nad they been in power. because it is
useless to say that any party would
condone this offence. But. when they
ask you to leave your party. to sepa
rate from the great principles of your
organization; when they aske the wo-
men OF this state to break away from
the republican party. We come back
10 them with the proposition that ali
the legislation dealing with this SUBJ
1ect, or having to dow it'll it, has been
slNsn US ny republican legislature
and a republican congress.
50. when b. H. Roberts went down
10 washington to assume his seat in
{ congress, and 1t was ascertained that
ne was polygamist. II was a republic (
can congress which sent him back to
ian. Senator Dubois says that upon
the converting of the next session of
congress Reed Smoot will be sent hack
TO Utah. II so he will ha cent 49,. |