The Idaho scimitar. [volume] (Boise, Idaho) 1907-1908, 1908-01-18
AS 1t Once Was.

that the Boise Statesman was not always as II now
s-a defender of polygamous practices and OF the
Salt Lake influence Idaho politics. 1t did not
always stand in with the alliance that receives its or
ders from the man who confers with God on the
subject and finds out what arrangements have been
made in Heaven about the next election.
There was time when The Statesman believed
that the people of Idaho the architects OF their
own political fortunes, fully capable of managing
their affairs Independent of the hierarchy that has
since debased government, with the assistance OF
that paper.
In it's issue of the 4th of March, 1904 The States
man said in its editorial columns:
The testimony given before the Senate committee
by Joseph F Smith, president of the Mormon chuTch,
is profoundly interesting 1t is OF rather stdIthlx
character and will be read with deep interest by an
the people of the country. To those who live III thS
region it is of especial interest and importance ana
will be read and reread by a large proportion OF
this people. ~
While on the stand the president explained the
relations of the people to the church IN manner
that will not be satisfactory to all readers. LheIe
were many incongrult1eS IN what he SAID, ana tne
thought is unavoidably suggested that they arose
from the necessity of laying out several roads upon
which to travel in the different branches OF the case
One thing was made very Clear-that polyga1ny
remains doctrine of the church. President Smith
declared himself believer in it and explained that
it had simply been suspended by the manifesto OF
1890 The explanation is not new n Out nerv strong
light upon the position of the church IN relation TO
the subject. -.
This is of especial interest in Idaho at this time
because the people to vote next tall upon the
calling of constitutional convention That proJect
was brought forward through the agency OF the
Mormon leaders and traded through the Legislature
the purpose being to make new constitution from
which all reference to polygamy shall be omitted.
That is the fundamental, underlying reason Tor
submission of this constitutional convention q1es-
ton There is otherwise more reason Tor con-
stutona convention in this State than IN any other
State of the Union. Indeed there IS less Our con,
sttuton is only fourteen years old; it was framed
bv BODY of men of the very highest type, ana II
could not be materially improved upon now, while
it might be very seriously impaired
Anv manifest defect in the constitution can be
cured bv amendment. 1t would not be practicable
however TO amend it as desired by the Mormon peo-
pie bv direct vote on a resolution, because pubic
attention would be conferred upon that point and even
if the resolution should be traded through the Leg
isature by the necessary twothirds vote, 1t would
be defeated at the polls. In a constitutional con-
vention however, there would be an opportunity TO
play party against the other and thus attain the
end sought so many other issues being raised that
the new constitution as a whole would be likely to
carry at the polls.
Afterward with the assistance of the paper from
which the foregoing extract is taken, an Idaho Leg
isature adopted resolution for a constitutional
convention the purpose of that Mormon controlled
LEGISLATURE being the elimination from the constltu-
ton of the sections providing for the disfranchise-
ment of persons practicing polygamy, teaching po-
1vgamv, defending or excusing polygamy.
The transaction was rank that its promoters
weakened and the Secretary of State was prevailed
upon to refuse to certify the action of the Leg1sa-
ture and the people were not called upon to vote
ON the proposition.
But it is the language of The Statesman in those
days of its purity that will attract the attention OF
the reading public and regret will be general that
ore can fall so low from so high place.