The Idaho scimitar. [volume] (Boise, Idaho) 1907-1908, 1908-04-04
The Test Oath.


who are contending that the Mormon issue should b.
abandoned This decision coming from sucha source
is an unqualified endorsement of the Democratic part
in challenging the Mormons at the last election anc
in bringing the Bulge case into court To be sur,
the Mormons, acting under the advice of the Gov
ernor of the State and the chairman of the Re
publican State Committee paid no attention to the
challenge, refused to take the test oath and threw
the challengers into Jail
1t looks though there would be a change OF
places by these two high digntares of the Republi-
can party in the next campaign-that Chairman
Brady will be the candidate for Governor and Gov
ernor Gooding will be Chairman Of the State Com
mittee. Does any Democrat suppose the "test OATH
will itself at the next election any more than
it did in the last with the Mormon Republican
officials in control?
Every decent citizen of the State ought to rejoice
that the Supreme Court has upheld the Constitution
of the State, and all should join in seeing that the
test OATH is made requirement for voting, Both
parties now, almost compelled to put it in their
platforms The Republicans in the last Legislature
who voted with the Democrats to pass statute to
make the test oath" effective are completely Wind
icated by Court, composed entirely of their party
associates
The Democratic position on the Mormon question
it is to be assumed there will be no further opposition
by any real Democrat to a re-enacment by the next
Democratic State Convention of the test oath" plank
of the last platform That is all that is asked for or
has been asked for by the Democratic party of
the State Those Democrats who framed the last
platform asked then and ask that the Mormons
take the constitutional test OATH They have never
asked anything more than this
The Supreme Court says it is self-executing that
its provisions must be accepted as a prerequisite
for voting.
The Democratic party claimed, during the last cam
paign, that it self-executing, and they were re-
inforced by no less authority than Senator Hey
burn who contended that the Legislature could not
repeal its provisions by a legislative substitute.
The fact is apparent however, that its provisions
are repealed by the Legislative electors OATH and
that it will not execute itself and that its provisions
will be ignored unless organized and determined
effort is made and continued to enforce them
1t cannot be possible that under the present cir
,umsances, with the enemy surrounded and doomed
o surrender to public sentiment and the organic
aw of state, that any Democrat can be found
Who will ask the party to surrender to the enemy
The contention of the Democrats has been and is
hat the Mormons shall abide by the constitution
# the State and in order to VOTE shall take the
institutional test oath"
The party organization should endeavor to have
he test oath" made part of the registration oath
nd failing in this, every Mormon should be chal-
enged at the polls. If the Mormons are again adj
lsed to throw the challengers into Jail and to re-
Use to take the test OATH" and follow this advice
$ we have no hesitation in predicting they WILL it
i'll then be question for the American citizens of
lie State to determine what future course to pursue
tl,a Htac+ ,e ,Jo, r.
lth Gas it should be under the Supreme Court
,cisiOn) and the MormOnS Subscribe RI II ,,,dar