The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-09-22
LAW TO REACH CRIME.

The Paris Post, which is the leading
Mormon organ of Idaho, publishes an
editorial under the heading, "Should
Be Ashamed of It. and therein re-
prints a portion Of an article from the
Idaho Mail, It is impossible to tell,
because Of the failure of the Post to
use quotation marks, which parts OF the
matter are to be attributed to the Mail
and which TO the Post; but the follow
ing are quotations from the article
as it appeared in the Post, and the two
papers may divide up the responsibility
TO suit themselves.
Judge Stockslager, the Democratic nom
inee for Governor of Idaho. claims credit
for inserting in his party's platform the
plank providing for the removal by the
prosecution Of any criminal case from
the county of the defendants residence
or the place of the crime to any other
county of the State.
There is no need corcealing the mo-
tive. The plank Is for the express pur-
pose of taking an accused Mormon from
the county Of his residence to one where
the verdict against any member of his
church would be a foTegone conclusion.
1t is bad enough when viewed in that
Hight alone; and one need not be a Nor
mon TO appreciate the unfairness OF the
provision But once the law were in
effect. nothing would be easier than 10
insure conviction in every other case by
the simple process OF removing IL from
the locality where the alleged offense
was committed to county that had been
prepared TO convict by the prosecution,
The State of Idaho is an entity, 1t
has been recognized throughout the
history of the country that Justice may
often require the removal Of case
right of n change of venue within the
political entity Of State. on the part
OF the defendant has been recognized
in the law and in the practice of the
courts.
Some two years ago in Montana the
failure of justice in certain counties be-
came so notorious and the wrong was
so publicly reprehended. that special
session of the Legislature was called
to pass law TO provide a change of
venue to another locality from that in
which the cause Of action originated.
That law still stands and has passed
the scrutiny of the Supreme Court.
And IN the case of Idaho. where
similar effort is being made, the legis-
lation TO provide for such change of
venue is recommended unanimously by
the Supreme Court of that State; two
members of that court being Repub-
licans.
To paraphrase the Post, it is not far
Mormons to the enlargement of the
idea. 1t is MormoDs who would resist
removal from one county to another
lest they should not have the favor
which obtains in the counties which
they control The Paris Post would
not say in plain words that Mormon
accused Of polygamy or polygamous
living dare not stand trial in any coun-
ty of the State outside OF those coun-
ties controlled by tho Mormons, and
yet that is exactly what it does say in
effect That 1T what il means. The
Mormons are gathered in certain coun-
ties which they control. The judges
are selected with due regard to their
of leading Mormons. Take the case Of
William Bulge, for instance. A com.
plant against him would first have had
TO be filed with his own son. And Il
case against him would now have to
be tried before another son. There is