The Idaho scimitar. [volume] (Boise, Idaho) 1907-1908, 1907-12-21
President Hyde's Evasion.

a Mormon Stake of Zion of Idaho replies again to
challenge printed in the issue of the I'd of No
vember of The Scimitar and to some subsequent
discussion of the matter Mr.. Hyde is the party
that challenged. That he had published his
article of the 23d of November was known to this
paper only few days ago, and these remarks are
somewhat belated.
The original statement made by President Hyde
upon which the exceptions of The Scinitar were
based,
AS to the attitude of the church, it is sufficient
to say that polygamy is under its ban as thoroughly
as the law of the church can pronounce it. and all
members who violate its regulations, in addition
to being liable to the civil law, will be subject to
the severest penalties that the church infict
The challenge uttered by The Scimitar for the
consideration of President Hyde in response to his
statement, was
The Scimitar calls upon this eccesiast to cite one
instance where the church has disfellowshpped
any for poygamy or polygamous living; to
cite any where penalties have been inflicted
by the church upon polygamistS for their crime
and i'll default Of any proof of his silly assertion, The
Scmitar calls the attention Of the people of Idaho
and the Nation to the base falsehood with which
this eccesiast is covering the criminality and the
political infamy of his church in this State.
To which President Hyde replied and his answer
was printed in The Scimitar of the 10th of Novem-
Der. In what he said he wandered about among
things material and immaterial and offered nothing
that would comply with the terms of the challenge.
In his second response, the one in the Pocatello
Tribune of the 23d of November, he again avoids
the issue and writes about great many topics that
are not under discussion and is silent concerning
the matters that are under discussion. President
Hyde ought to understand that the cardinal rule of
debate is strict adherence to the question If he
has tO iS tO he
he will have to admit that the challenge is true in
terms.
Now President Hyde, when, where and how did
the church ever punish any of its mem
bers for violation of the manifesto of 1890 against
polygamy? All that has been asked of you is to
directly and unequivocal1y, and you have not
done it.
1t was not out of spirit of love and forgiveness
that the church has omitted Gas is charged by The
Scimitar) the discipline that the Pocateo president
says it infcts, for the church has heavy hand and
it bestows punishments with unsparing ZEAL
While the president of the stake is arranging his
thoughts in the sequence of a categorical reply to
the queries herein propounded The Scimitar will
entertain the audience with a relation of some of
the punshments the church has visited upon its fol-
lowers. These instances are all CLEANED from the
testimony and argument before the Senate COM
nittee and the Senate in the Smoot case, and must,
therefore, be authentic
Moses Thatcher deposed from his apostolic
position for refusing to sign a political mandate of
he first presidency, afterwards put trial and
escaped accommodation only through recantation
md acceptance of the terms of the political edct.
A bishop deposed because he promised to
'bey the laws against polygamy.
An official accommodated for joining an
organization for the enforcement of law and for
opposing the exercise of political influence by the