Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1906-09-21

10 HelP us Tree LIle pOlygamOuS
children of the curse of bastardy?
| Was it not taught on the shores
of Gallilee that, 1T were better
that a milestone be hanged about
his neck and he be cast into the
sea, rather than he should offend
one of these little ones?" Is that
not living truth to-day in Idaho?
Is not the question whether or
not you will continue to permit
these little ones to be offended,
put straight to the hearts of
the women of Idaho to-day in
this campaign: or, whether join
ing with us, you will put down
forever the practice of polygamy
in this state. There have ap-
peared apologists for the old
polygamists, but who, if not the
women of this state, shall be
heard in defense of their young
chi ldren,
The state of Idaho stands pill
loried before the United States,
placed there by the sworn testi-
mony of representative French
| before the Reed Smoot investi-
cation committee of the U. S.
Senate, where, sitting between
two polygamous apostles of the
Mormon church, he unblushing-
ly testified that the people of
Idaho condoned the crime of
polygamy and unlawful CO.
habitation in the cases of old
polygamists. Do you women of
Idaho condone the birth of the
children of the old polygamists,
tainted from their infancy by
this system of crime? Last
July the 43rd child was born to
the 3rd polygamous wife of Jos.
F. Smith, President of the Nor
mon Church, Are we to allow
this statement to stand regarding
Idaho, or will the earnest men
and women of this state re-
pudiate it?
No less mOmentous in it's effects
upon the future of Idaho is the
interference in political affairs of
the Mormon Hierarchy. AS is
well known the Mormon voters
hold the balance of power be-
tween the two great parties, the
Republican and Democratic, and
these Mormon votes are absolute
ly controlled by the Hierarchy.
It is possible for the authorities
of the Mormon church sitting in
Salt Lake City, to say to either
party in Idaho, 'If you will
agree to our demands, we will
place you in power. 1t can say
to any individual of either party,
IF you agree to support measur-
es favorably to us, we will make
you senator, governor or put you
in whatever Office you may as
pire to- Is not this great power
inimical to the best interests of
the state? Will it not build up
in our politics the system of
"bossism'', to trample on the as
piration of our people? Was not
this great power of the Mormon
Hierarchy lately exerted at Poca-
tello, when in a convention in
which three polygamists sat, two
men were permitted to prepare a
slate" and parcel out the ofic-
ers of this state, without regard
to the choice of the people, but
always. with the approval of the
Mormon leaders? The motto, of
that convention seems to have
been, eff we can please the
Hierarchy, the people can be
disregarded."
Have we not seen in Boise the
polygamous apostle, John Henry
Smith of the Mormon church
endeavoring to coerce a legislat-
ure and to change the clear pro-
visions of the constitution of
Idaho against polygamy, which
he said were so Objectionable to
his people, and has not this been
testified to by leading Republi-
cans of Idaho?
Have we not seen the polyga-