The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-12-26
FIGURES THAT CONFUSE.

The Boise Statesman whistles itself
into n kind of grave.y yards .shivering
courage by the use of the legislative
election result in Idaho IN antagonism
To Senator Dubois. An editorial of the
Statesman is quoted in today's Tri-
bune under the title: "Dubois Erpla-
ration" After careful perusal Of the
article Of the Statesman the explana-
tion still remains with Dubois; for the
Statesman neither overcomes the Sen
ator's argument nor really explains its
own attempt at elucidation. 1t cites
the fact that Of the seventy-onc mem
bers of the Legislature, Senator Du-
bois secured only eighteen. And the
Statesman demonstrates, by careful
conccalment of all the other related
facts, that this grim contrast Of figures
proves that the Mormon question was
not an issue in Idaho notwithstanding
the tremendous labors of Senator Du
bois.
The Statesman ignores two great
factors-either one of which would de-
tract from the conclusiveness of the
figures, and both of which together
compel the belief that the figures are
used to misrepresent the facts of the
campaign. The Statesman 5 effort is
10 make it appear that only one-fouTth
Of the people of Idaho sympathized
with the issue raised against the Nor
mon hierarchs and that the real ques-
tion was CLAW and order with Gov
ernor Frank r. Gooding MS the expo
ncnt of the idea. Judge Stockslager,
running on an antihierarch platform,
carried the GENTLE counties of the State
oil Idaho and was only defeated by the
vote of the Mormon counties. which
went almost unanimously for Gooding.
If the issue was upon law and order,
as the Statesman asserts, then Frank
r. Gooding was construed as being op-
posed to law and order, and Judge
Stockslager was accepted rs being in
favor Of law and order in the majority
of the Gentle counties of the State Is
the Statesman willing TO stand for its
own claim9
The actual issue was the Mormon
NitSllOu. ANU assuming lldb JuNIE
Stockslager and Frank r. Gooding were
both accepted as being equally in favor
of the prosecution of the murderers Of
eX Governor Steunenberg, it is apparent
that Judge Stockslager was accepted
as the better friend OF law and order;
for he was willing to apply the law TO
Mormons as well as to Gentiles. and it
was only the counties where the law
breaking hierarchs reign supreme that
saved Mr.. Gooding from utter defeat
the reason which actuated the hier-
archs being that, while Governor Good
ing would prosecute Gentle offenders
he would protect the members of the
cult in their offenses
against law and decercy.
Senator Dubois is recognized the
over as being friend to law
and order. but in Idaho he especially
embodies the warfare against the Nor
mon hierarchy. The figures cited by
the Statesman do rot carry the full
truth TO the reader S mind, The dis
tribution Of seven hundred and fifty ad-
ditional Dubois votes in certain coun-
ties Of the State would have carried
the legislature for Dubois The wide
divergence attempted to be shown by
the Statesman does not therefore exist.
In point of fact the Mormon issue
nearly won victory for the minority
party in the State of Idaho The Re
publican party had an overwhelming
aiority previous TO this campaign. and
ir this campaign it would have been
left defeated by the wayside except
for the rally of the solid Mormon votes
IL, the southeast. If the Statesman can
find any comfort in the fact that the
Republican majority was greatly re-
duced and would have been anuihilated
but for the help of the hierarchs at
Salt Lake, it must possess spirit more
happy go-ucky than reasonable.