The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1907-02-28
FROM THE
STATE CAPITAL!
Some Of the Unwrltten History Of Legs
htve DOlnss IS They Appear aa
Spedhl (anespOnden; The Test Oath
Killed In the Senate.
Special to The Idaho Recorder.

Special to The Idaho Recorder.
Boise. Idaho, Feb. %, 1907. Dur
Ing the past week the entire interest
OF the legislature has been centered
In the test oath bill. This measure
originated in the senate, the pIinci-
pal fight there was over the words
celestial" marriage" The Nor
mon contingent declaring that this
word had no Specification In the bill
as ii was a future condition over
which the laws had nothing TO do.
The bill as 1t left the senate was per-
fectly satisfactory TO the Mormon
bishops. When IL came up In the
house war began In earnest. The
tirst contention was that the bill
should embody the constitutional test
oath In Its provisions, which was
bitterly fought by the bishops, After
the famous message from Governor
Gooding was received. stating that
the bill would be vetoed II IL did not
meet with his approval, there was
not as much bitterness In evidence
and a majority OF the Mormon mem
bers voted for the measure, celestial
marriage and all. II Is evident that
they had a tip from the senate to the
effect that the house amendment
would not he concurred In. The bill
being amended In the house OF course
the senate had TO either adopt these
amendments or XIII the bill.
In the discussion Of the test oath
In the house Clark, OF Washington
county, gave brief resume OF the
Mormon question as IL was brought
out in the two last elections, paying
his compliments to Governor Good
ing. He criticised Gooding for tell
Ing the Mormons TO pay no attention
To the challenges, and then came
back to Boise and recommended that
the very law he then condemned b,
, enacted. Clark bad no hesitancy II
saying that man who could no
J comply with the demands OF the con
stitution had no right TO vote muci
less sit In the law making bodies o
5 the state. He paid a tribute TO th
Mormon people, but blamed the lead
ers and the church officials. III
I stated that he did not believe thei
. opposition was TO the words "celes
: tial marriage as IL was TO the con
: stitution. After taking up IA goo
share of the tiuIe OF the house for
g couple of days vote was finally sc
i cured. In the final vote there wer
o seven Mormons voted for the bin an
j. five against, but the insurgents an
{ democrats lined up in favor OF H.
c bill to man which gave the bill
o large majority.
d Thursday morning OF last week til
J. test oath bill as amended by III
e house, came up In the senate.
was realized that the bin would ha'
It trouble 10 the senate. In fact 1t W;
l. openly charged that the Mormon
= who voted for the constitutional pr
}, visions In the house were told on u
ID quiet that the senate would kill u
s, measure. Mcmillan opened the bs
re by moving that the house amen'
ments be not concurred In. Whitwt
r. at once rose TO his feet proposing
Or substitute that the bill be concurr'
TO I'm as amended. McClear supports
Ie the position Of Whitwell In di
ne niiied and. as many thought, an q
r. answerabIe manner. He said, !"
Id we are going TO adopt a test oath
all, 1t should lie the one prescrib
by the constitution. yet the senat
from Ada wants TO ignore the pla
provision. The constitution shou
=, be sacred 10 all. This oath may n
be taken from, but may tie added u
Macbeth then took the foor 10 fas
OF the bill. Macbeth said 20 Gent
D republicans iu the house and sever
Mormons had supported the amen
" ments. lie warned the Tepubiles
:, that two years from now there wol
- be srrayed against each other I
"a Gentiles and Aormons OF the sta
He said this law should be enacted
take the matter out OF politics.
a. then discussed patriarehal and eel
tial marriage and said celesti
marriage had been celebrated at de
:. ocratic headquarters last fall 81 Il
might see what 1t was like. II
statement created general laugh
throughout the chamber.
Ter
ny Hart commended MeCiesr for
aid manly and digniied discussion OF
question. lie said neither the
sot publican nor the democratic party
he this state was responsible for |
- question. 1t Is the work be said
s6 an apostste republican who bad
.pS followers. lie said the talk OF y
,er, ity aud the home" by those who
ref slsndering ttSssstate, is a fraud an
ct. delasion. ''We sent a bill over
ant the house. +" said the speaker. "t