Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-08-16
AS OTHERS SEE HIN


The anti-"MormOn' campaign now
waging in Idaho, under the boss-ship Of
Senator Fred T. Dubois, does not ap-
pear to command the support OF the
leading papers in that state Of either
political party One or two OF the
small-fry journals are very fierce in
their attacks ON the Mormon" people
and ardent in their aid to the dexterous
and reversible politician. The chief at
tempt at argument put forth by those
Duboisltes IS that the Mormon citl-
zens ought not to object to the proposed
test oath advocated by the willy pollt-
clan, II they are not practising plural
marriage, and are not setting their
Church above the government That
may do very well to throw dust In the
eyes Of "Mormons" unacQuainted
with the situation but Il is the fattest
kind Of twaidle TO people who are
posted
The oath which has been formulated
to be incorporated into the laws Of Ida
no, as we have shown repeatedly, is 50
worded as 10 go far beyond the two pro-
visions which those papers mention, and
TO shut out from the elective franchise
every person who belongs to a society
which teaches celestial marriage; that
is marriage for eternity as well as
time. or who contributes anything by
way Of support Of such a Church or in
stitution This is designed specially
20 reach the case Of every member Of
the Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter
day Saints and the terms polygamy,
plural marriage etc, are used for the
purpose Of deception as to the real
meaning Of the formula.
Apart from that, how would the anti
Mormon citizens Of Idaho relish the
passage of a test oath statute requiring
them. as qualification for voting. TO
swear that they do not Indulge in gam
bling, intoxlcation and kindred prac-
iices. which are contrary TO the laws
Of The State and 70 the regulations OF
good Christian society? We are under
the impression that the chief advocate
OF the test oath proposition would
squirm very much himself at being re-
qulred 10 subscribe TO such a require
ment
However, the people OF idaho, gener-
ally speaking, understand the scheme Of
the political acrobat. and viii doubt
less allow him 20 perform bis final SOM
crsault and tumble to his fate We
were Ted to make these remarks by
reading an editorial IN the Portland Or.
egonian, which sizes up the Senator
iu good shape and from which we Will
quote a paragraph or two. as follows.
THE campaign which Dubois is max.
ing In Idaho is the desperate eXpedient
of a bankrupt political adyoniurer. In
search OF an Issue for present
emergency re has been everything
by turns and nothing long. No longer
having credit with the Republican
party, he swung, through Populism and
the silver lunsCy. into the Democratic
party Gone broke there also, he
NOW sets up the prCtonse that the few
Mormous in Idaho are peril 10 that
proud state: and OF course he is the
only man who can be ldaho's rescuer
ana deliyeror Nothing could be more
ptiful than the career ~ such poll-
ticlan."
"Polygamy has been virtually de-
siroyCd. and soon VIII wholly disappear
for. though 81 rs asserted, for political
en- party reasons, that plural marriages
continue, there has been no proof Of 10
IN a single instance. and the last OF the
old poiygamous Mormons, now only a
handful. will presently pass. Since this
T. the situation in Utah, why pretend
that Mormonism is about 90 get the up
Der hand in Idaho. whore the Mormon
population Is comparatively small and
where such Mormon population as eX-
lists o. confined so limited DISTRICTS on
The Utah border?
As religious creed the Mormon
revelation Us no more M variance
with average reason than many other
crccds and revelations, ancient or mod
tm Besides. such things are I'm no
Wise inc NNl'fll Ni it' EtAt's ih Atl'
matter OF religious iaith, creed and
doctrine. Wc allow every person 10 he
ms absurd as ho pls8scs 40 religious
sect can control any American state
not even Utah
Dubois reduced il extremity. Dr.
playing In Idaho the part of "a dcspcr-
ate rambler The Fictitious Issue
which b. now throws into the game is
apparently his last stake. He was
out absolutely through his former fol-
lies. and matchcd at jhls cvpedient be-
cause neither the course of events nor
his own invention could supply any
other to the bankrupt political sdveu.
turer who o. forced this year 20 meet
iha nnnrln nf llAhn-.