The Idaho scimitar. [volume] (Boise, Idaho) 1907-1908, 1908-01-25
The Indecency of Idaho.


to show that exhibits to the public more than
one woman as his wife to prove him guilty of un-
lawful cohabitation. That is it is necessary only to
demonstrate, through common knowledge, that a
man lives with more than woman to render him
subject to punishment that contemp1ates imprison-
ment
The Federal Supreme Court did not hesitate to
promugate such conclusion and to apply it to the
polygamists of the Mormon States, against whom
the action that produced it was directed.
On the sixth page of this issue of The Scimitar
is printed list of twenty Idaho men and twice or
thrice as many women living in the condition de-
scrbed by the decision of the Supreme Court. The
person who compiled the list says he find
hundred similar cases in Idaho.
Although the law and the highest court authority
say these offenders be punished for crimes, they
are not punished. They live in defiance of law and
morality and in defiance of sentiment based on the
highest demand of society.
In invoking the processes of law is necessary to
employ human agents and such agents are elected to
the positions they occupy by majority of the voters
that come under their Jurisdiction. They are
to obey the constitution and the laws and to enforce
the laws, and when they fail to comply with their
official oaths, they subject to such punishment
as the delinquency merits under the statutes.
In many of the counties of Idaho the class of
people against whom the decision of the Supreme
Court was directed, under the laws of Idaho and
of the Nation, possesses a majority and in other
counties its alliance with the Republican party gives
it a majority. In such counties prosecuting officers
and officers entrusted with the execution of the laws
are elected by the law-breaking majority and such
officers refuse to enforce the laws against unlawful
cohabitation. 1t true that in doing they violate
their oaths of office and place premium on crime.
Should they attempt the execution of the laws de-
signed for the protection of society," they would be
compelled to submit the wholly partially
to Mormon uries and one Mormon on a jury can
defeat the ends of justice. Between officials who
will not prosecute offenders and the Mormons drawn
as jurors such as those mentioned in the list
the sixth page of The Scimtar are able to escape
the operation of the law that has been sustained by
the Supreme Court decision in all the counties that
contain any considerable number of Mormons.
The condition is the same in such counties as it
would be in county or any number of counties in
which majority of the population in favor of
horse stealing. Horse thieves could not there be
convicted any than polygamsts can be con-
victed in Mormon counties. The Republican party
declares by its votes that the immunity enjoyed by
Mormon violators of the law is right to which
they are entitled because their offenses permit
ted and encouraged by so-ca1led religious organiza-
ton although the practice of horse stealing much
less demora1izing than the practice of polygamy
The founders of the State took early recognition
of the situation and provided in their constitution
that persons guilty of the ofense prescribed by the
Federal Supreme Court should not hold office, should
not sit on jures, should not vote The constitution
of the State remains unchanged 1t still declares that