The Idaho scimitar. [volume] (Boise, Idaho) 1907-1908, 1908-03-21
THE IDAHO SCIMITAR.


tuition attempt to deal with these classes and they
(the Mormons) will at once put themselves outside
of these classes, and there is end to your pro-
hibition. We must enable the Legislature to meet
them in any and all possible Glasses, be ready to
meet them in whatever shape they may assume. In
section have Mormons for neighbors. We
are unit on this question. Democrats and Repubh-
cans, all one this question, and we desire
all sections of the territory to stand with against
this terrific crime and menace"
That expression was the consensus of opinion
among the delegates to the constitutional conven-
ton. Democrats, Republicans and labor delegates
we're unified in opposing the Mormon encroachment
in battling the Idaho Daily Statesman expressed
it July II with IAN ecclesiastical hierarchy setting
itself up in State and claiming from its devotees
an allegiance superior to their allegiance to the
State or the United States monStrouS dogma, and
danger more to be deprecated than an hundred test
oaths." There was not in all that said and
done that convention the slightest vesge of utter
ance or opinion which then or now could be dis
torted to defense Of the Mormons There
was not man in that convention, there not
Gentle in Idaho who vouchsafed word of
praise commiseration for the Mormons 1t was
gathering of which the Idaho Daily Statesman
said
1--WE are struck with the intellectual aspect and
business air of the membership. There is nothing
juvenile or tender footed about the tone and look
of the convention Nearly all have reached middle
look like men who familiar with affairs and
at home in consideration of affairs of state.
They come together in spirit OF patriotic loyalty
to the great duty consigned to their keeping.
And these men, according to their utterances were
grmly determined to throw off what was described
"the clutch of that obscene monster, the Mormon
church," the mere suggestion by the correspondent
of the Salt Lake Tribune that a Mormon bishop had
been present at a Democratic caucus was regarded
the grossest affront, and resolution was intro
duced demanding that public reparation be made.
And the Democrats who took umbrage at this re-
port were the minority, which fought to leave the
execution of the test oath to the discretion of the
Legislature 1t solely upon question OF pre-
Cedent that disSenSion arose. the minority showing
reluctance to give practically monarch1cal power to
the Legislature, and never at any time during the
convention section OF the test oath itself
disturbed changed 1t appears that the delegates
we're confronted with pure proposition OF self
preservation. 1t concerted and harmonious
effort to annihate forever what the Idaho Daily
Statesman pronounced "the stupid and gross pro-
family which would lift abandoned debauchery the
riotous and beasty abandonment to our lowest pas
sions into sacrament OF the sweet and pure re-
gion of Jesus of Nazareth.
These we're the motives of the delegates to the
convention of 1889, which gave birth to the test
OATH the provisions of which Legislature shall
ever annul These the words which for eighteen
wears have lain forgotten in the archives of the
State of Idaho, and which apparently the Supreme
Court of the commonwealth has demanded in
order it is supposed, that it may clearly understand
every element which may enter into its deliberations
upon the Bulge case And in studying the report
of the constitutional convention, the supreme bench
will learn that W. B. Hepburn, of Shoshone County,
present senior United States Senator of Idaho was
firm and active delegate of the exigency which de-
randed the disfranchisement of every Mormon 1t
will learn that July 16, 1889, Mr.. Hepburn, IN the
discussion of the bill of rights strongly urged the
addition to section of a clause which would re-
qure Mormons to make additional oaths or affirma-
tions before exercising the right of suffrage or ac-
ouiring title to public lands. His motion was lost
under parliamentary ruling, it being contehded
that the suggested provisions should be made part
of the article on suffrage And it will learn that
l. T. Lewis, of Alturas County, who had lived v
among the Mormons for thirty years, exhorted the
convention to adopt every possible precaution in
n, he whom he described