Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1906-06-28
THE MORMON PROBLEM.

Here in Elmore county, the Nor
mon question is not political is
sue, because there are no Mormons
here. An effort was made some
months since to secure a foothold
here for colony; but the enterprise
received no encouragement, and
was abandoned. Those who occupy
a commanding position, Industrial
1y, in this county knew that wher-
ever Mormons and Gentiles come in
contact, strife is inevitable, and
they wisely declined to offer no
inducements to secure this colony.
In this state, however, Mormon
ism is Just as sure, sooner or later,
TO become the paramount issue in
politics, as death and taxes. At
present the republican party and
press of the state are the defenders
of that system; they are sensitively
solicitous about any criticism of
that church, its members, or any
act of either. This is because Nor
mons are still voting the republican
ticket, under the old compact be-
tween Mark Hanna and the head of
the church. The republican party
will, in time, regret that deal, for
1T means that the Mormons will
reap the chief benefits thercfrom.
Already the politicians have learn
ed how Unsuitable is their appetite
for office and it's emoluments So
perfect is the church discipline, so
complete is its control over the mem
q t
wherever they will do the the most
good, and according to that view
point, they will do the most good
in that quarter from whence the
church will derive the greatest ben
eft, where the 1.-THE will amount
TO the largest sum. This solid
strength is always used as bal
ance of power, which is ever the
control, and the time is compare
lively short when the Bee Hive
tower at Salt Lake will absolutely
dominate the republican party in
Idaho. When that time arrives and
the fact becomes SO apparent that it
can not be longer concealed, then
good American citizens of that
political persuasion will revolt and
Mormon domination in the govern
ment of this state will cease. In
the meantime, peanut politicians
will call this alien element broth
er, dickcr for it's vote, be betrayed
and played for suckers generally.
At present, these politicians and
the papers which they control are
touting the Mormons on their good
citizenship Individually, they are
acknowledge to be industrious,
frugal, fairly honest; but still they
are not good citizens, because they
regard the cdicts of the church as
above those of the state. No mar
who holds TO that belief can under
stand or appreciate the genius of our
republican institutions-or make g
loyal citizen.
We all know, those who have
lived among these people, that they
are a people apart from us white
folks; that their votes, their bust.
ness and social relations are con.
trolled by the machinery of the
church, and though the pro-Mor,
mons may deny these assertions til
they are black in the face, as they
are doing, these denials do not con
vince the observant. Proof of tn,
assertion that the bosses of tn,
machine can control the mob, il
found in the fact that the masse
yield UP that ten per cent of thei
incomes, the central, supportin,
policy of the church, a tax that n
legitimate business has ever bee
able to pay and prospcr-resultin
in serfdom. That the head of tn
organization could resist the temp
tation to WELD this tremenduou
power, this sure thing game for tn
acquisition of wealth, no one VIII
knows human nature will believ
for an instant. That the Smit
family is anything more than hi
man; is other than common clay
only those who are mentally bin
through ignorant faith, will swa
low.