The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1908-03-26


Mormon plank In the party platform
The Idaho democrat recalcitrant.
make the point that politics viii
never settle the Mormon problem
IL Is matter OF law which rests en-,
tirely with the courts. they say.
They offer, In support OF this con.
tention, the statement that forme,
Senator Fred II. Dubois, who for sih
years has personifsed the bitter anti.
Mormon fight, was given change oI
venue law TO aid conviction OF new
polygsnlists and measure creating q
State Board OF Health fer the pur-
pose OF gathering vital statistics by
which it was hoped Ia establish re-
cord of the issue of plural marriages.
Moreover, the supreme court. say
the recalcitrants, In its ruling ON the
Badge case, win IN all probability de.
eide whether the constitutional test
oath is self-executing.
II tell you. this Is matter for oui
courts to settle ~ shouted the rejue,
enated Dockery to me ar Boise, way-
ing his arms wildl, to give added en-.
phasis to his power OF expression
They the eighth legislature gave
this man Dubois change OF venue
Law. Its on the statute books
They got change OF venue in the
Haywood trial and in the Adams
trial. The Law is not a dead letter.
Nov, 1 submit this proposition 10
you: If, as he says, be could not
under the old order Of things get q
change OF venue, why doesn't this
man Dubois do IL nowg
dubois now has means OF obtain.
ing statistics relating 10 births OF
children Of polygamous parents And
the Supreme court OF Idaho may in q
few days decide that the test oath in
the constitution is self-execuIing.
What else can this be but laey Wha,
can politics have to do with this
proposition? Ii the test oath is self
executing, what legislation is there
needed 20 render 1t operauveg Az
Dubois needs &c do then is 20 chal.
ienge these offenders under the con.
stitution and that solves the whole
problem.
Ordinarily such an argument would
appear logical and unanswerable. II
is exactly what John Nugeut saws
and Karl Paine adds to IL feryent
"hear hear'H
Taking into consideration all OF
the elements which enter into the
Idaho situation, however, 1t is ap.
parent that the recalcitrants either
have had their sight dIGmed hy
promises OF Mormon pluns or know
not whereof they speak,
The change OF venue law AS IT. af-
fected the Haywood and Adams trials
has no more TO do with the Mormon
questioo than have the initiative and
referendum with Peru.
II Is true that the law was passed.
ostensibly TO astisfy the demands OF
Dubois and his adherents that the
state be given means uf taking poly.
samists to adjoining counties for
But a change OF venue can only be
asked for by county attorney.
DO the recalcitrants expect the at.
torney OF Mormon county, even If
be Is not Mormon. 10 antagonize
the people who elevate him to oiice
by attempting To aid In the conyic.
tion OF a poly4anistY
In Bannock county, where there is
4 fairly respectable democratic party,
there were cast Ia 1905. according to
The eighth biennial report of the
secretary of state, 2.37a votes for
Frank Gooding, and l,l2l for Mr..
stocsslager. The attorney Is George
+. Gray, an excellent specimen Of
Jack. Mormon, II he has not really
loined the church. DO the recaici.
trants expect Gray 10 ask for change
Df venue 10 order TO convict one of
his and the Lords ownY
The situation In Oneida county IA
worse. And u cannot be
expected OF Joe Davis TO
thump his political cateer wltt
of 2.507 votes by inspiring
prosecution Of a new polyesmist. De
Meade Austin Is confronted with
Mormon majority Of !, ,7O6 In Bear
Lake. and Douglas IIlx has 10 deai
with sanity plurality OF asa 10
Fremont county.
IL does not appear then that a
change OF venue wili be Forthcoming
In Mormon county where IL il most
needed. OF course. George GRAY
might ask that polygamist be taken
TO Oneida county and the proposition
might be worked vice versa. But
the change Of venue iag. IN 80 far as
II affects the Mormons. with al due
respect 10 Dockery. might Just as
well be dead letter.
The ias ~as clever piece Of legis.
Iation. but 1T sIn't up ter snuf, I"