The Idaho scimitar. [volume] (Boise, Idaho) 1907-1908, 1908-03-28
Bryan and Polygamy.

The last National Democratic platform, adopted
by the convention that nominated Judge Alton B.
Parker held at St. Louis contained the following
expressions:
We demand the determination of polygamy in the
jurisdiction of the United States and the separation
of church and state in political affairs.
There is club in existence in the city of Boise
that pretends to be Democratic club 1t is
centratng all its efforts upon the task of dscredit
ing the foregoing utterance of the National Demo
cratic party 1t deals with nothing else. 1t says
the Democratic party of the Nation and of the
State is interfering with religion in unconsti-
tutional way
Yet it pretends to be Democratic, club. 1t pre-
tends to be solicitous for the nomination of Mr..
Bryan and affects the purpose of clearing the way
for him by eliminating the fight against polygamy
and inviting the polygamists to help nominate Mr.
Bryan
That portion of the history of the transactions of
the last National Democratic convention that relates
to the committee discussion over the platform states
that Mr.. Bryan member of the committee that
prepared the platform. 1t then says:
It was foregone conclusion that Senator Dubois
would command the situation When the subject of
polygamy reached in the course of del1berat1on
on the platform, Mr. Bryan, Mr.. Hill and other
members of the committee declared themselves IN
favor of a resolution demanding constitutional
amendment for the suppression of polygamy Senator
Dubois explained that he had agreed with the Utah
delegation that there should be no mention OF a
constitutional amendment and he could not, in good
faith agree to any such resolution would include
such amendment. After the subcommittee ad-
journed, the members who had interested themselves
in the matter personally said the agreement made
between the Utah delegation and Senator Dubois
had been the only obstacle to the passage of spe-
cihc declaration calling for a constitutional amend
ment.
Mr. Bryan, therefore, was in favor of much
stronger anti-poygamy plank than the one adopted,
than the one favored by Mr. Dubois under his
agreement with the Utah delegation.
Yet this pretended Democratic club OF Boise pre-
tends further to favor the nomination OF Mr. Bryan,
with his ultra anti-polygamy convictions, with his
desire to place clause in the Federal Constitution
prohibiting poygamy in all the States and terri
tories and giving the Federal authorities jurisdiction
for the prosecution and punishment of all polyga-
mists While opposing Mr.. Dubois milder views
on the subject under discussion, this club says it is
willing to accept the extreme views of Mr.. Bryan
It is sending literature out among the people in
which it declares that the fight poygamy is in
turing the chances of of the most pronounced
anti-polygamists in the last National Democratic
vention-Mr Bryan, whom it pretends to adore.
Two or three weeks ago, Mr.. Bryan personally
notified the public through his newspaper, that the
interests in conspiracy against his nomination had
secretly planned to secure the election OF delegates
TO the Denver convention who would be presumed
to be for him, but would, in reality be against him.
They were to be chosen in many States as pos
sible under false representations and even If in
structed for him were to abandon their instructions
after one or two ballots.
The warning sent out by Mr. Bryan can be ap-
Piled without any stretch of imagination, to an
alleged Democratic organization created for the pur