The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-08-05
TRAPPED ITSELF.

mo DeS9reI NeWb pTluIS, uIueI Scaro
headlines, its special report Of the pro-
cecdings Of tho Democratic convention
OF Ada county, Idaho, held at Boise,
August /, 1905. Other papers have
conveyed the general news and all in
terested people are now well informed
concerning the proceedings of that
body In which Senator Fred T. Dubois
received u most complimentary indorso-
ment, But the church organ conveys
some information ard affords some COM
mcnts which, taken together, present
such startling Indictment Of Nor
mon purposes that they justify wider
publicity than the News can afford,
and demand tho intelligent attention Of
tho people of tho United States.
According to the News, Chairman
| Jackson OF the Idaho State Democratic
| committee presented the following res
olution and asked its adoption;
Resolved. That tho Ada County Democrat
ic convention reahirms tho Democratic plat
plank denounclng polygamy and tho Inter-
ference OF tho hierarchy OF tho Mormon
church.
This, says tho Nows, brought forth
stormy defense. One speaker, man
named Floed, said in part: Zone Of
the true principles Of Democracy-the
principle of all tho beautiful principles
Of Democracy-in my humble estima-
tion is that OF religious liberty. Some
Of you in this convention are endeav-
oring to trample underneath your feet
this sacred principle. Don't do it. /
want TO be with you. ] have followed
you where you have led in the past. No
Democrat has been more faithful than
l in casting my votes for tho Democrat.
ic party. l have been faithful, but If
the Democratic party intends to fight
religion, this with mo must be the part
ing Of the ways
Tho Deseret News terms the resolu-
tion frank anti-Mormon spleeu,' and
commends the expressions Of Mr. F1oed
as ga protest and solemn warning. -
At last we have an unintentionally
candid acknowledgment by tho News
Of what Mormon religious liberty con-
sists, The resolution proposed by Chair
man Jackson merely opposed polygamy
and tho interference Of tho Mormon
church in politics, And, according to
the Nows, this was an attack on re-
ligion, Polygamy then is part of the
Mormon religion, The direction by the
church in politics is part Of tho
Mormon religion, That is just what
The Tribune has been contending
throughout this controversy. That was
tho proposition in the Smoot case at
Washington. That is the proof before
the American people at this time. The
majority Of the Committee on Privi-
leges and Elections Of the United
States Senate established by their gres,
report that polygamy is q part of the
practice Of the Mormon, church; that
interference in politics by the church
Is the common rule. The minority Of
that same committee contended or at
least pretended to the contrary. Here
is the Deseret News, official organ of
the Mormon church, aifording complete
proof that the majority Of the Senate
committee are right. And, not to lag
behind any, tho journalistic allies Of
tho Deseret News and contend that op-
position to polygamy and opposition to
church rule in politics are attacks upon
religion! This is one time in which the
News trapped itself and then entrapped
its syeophantic followers.
necuTllnG 20 tne immaculate case pre-
5ented in Idaho, a perfectly fair d.
vision on this question would BIO as
follows: Let all who believe that po-
lygamy is proper part Of religion in
the United States and that church In
reference in politics is a sacred prac-
tice unassailable under our constitu-
tion-let all these vote one way, and
let all who believe that crime has no
sanotity as religion and that separa-
tion Of church and State is absolutely
essential to the preservation Of our in
stitutions-let all these vote the other
way.
That would simplify the situation
and would speedily place the hieraTehs
out Of politics and would speedily end
tho polygamous living of Mormon lend
ers in Idaho